Things of the Past
by LeoPiperAndyPrue
Summary: Sequel to Destiny:The Source is dead,and the Power of Four grows stronger everyday.Piper and Leo are finally married and for the Charmed Ones,demons seem to be a thing of the past.But make no mistake, past demons always come back to haunt you in the night
1. Life

Chapter 1: Life

Disclaimer: And you think I own this because?

A/N: Well hey I'm back with more. So this'll be chapter one of Things of the Past. Dull name, I know, but you'll find it to be very adequate. And by the way even though the story's set in like about 4th season I guess the year is the same as now. So it's like early 2005. Enjoy.

"Phoebe did you get that box from my car yet? Phoebe?!?" Piper yelled from the doorway of her room.

"Where is that girl?" she mumbled under her breathe as she made her way down the hall to find her little sister.

She stood in front of Phoebe's room and waited a second. She was about to knock on it when she heard giggling from inside.

"Ewwww," she said as she covered her ears and went downstairs.

"Prue tell Phoebe and Cole to cut it out and start helping," she said in a mock baby voice.

"We should let her have her fun," laughed Prue, "all those construction people are finally out of here."

"I know, but we really needed that extra room," Piper commented, "unless we were planning to draw straws to see who had to sleep on the couch."

"I kept thinking that one of the construction people were gonna get attacked by a demon or warlock. But we haven't seen one since we took out the Source. You they'd be making demonic factions or something, but they're just backing off. I'm really staring to love this Power of Four thing," Prue rejoiced.

"Amen to that sister," chimed Phoebe as she came down the stairs, Cole behind her.

"Decided to join the party?" Piper asked with a wicked grin on her face.

Phoebe squinted hey eyes at Piper as she came down the last step.

Darryl and Leo came through the door hauling huge boxes.

"Where do you want these?" Darryl asked through heaved breathes.

"Umm, up on the landing Darryl," Pam answered as she came in the door behind him.

She was holding a bundle of papers and a large calculator.

"Piper I just got in contact with P3's old financial adviser and he says everything all up to date. Everything's in order for this Friday's opening."

"Thanks Pam," Piper said gratefully.

"I can't believe you got Chevelle Piper," Phoebe said.

"Yeah, well I guess I'm just talented," Piper said as she smiled.

Leo and Darryl came down from putting the boxes away and joined the girls at the bottom of the stairs.

"So is that it, or are there more boxes hidden somewhere?" Darryl joked.

"No that's it," Prue answered, "Thanks so much. Don't forget about Friday. We're all looking forward to seeing you and Sheila."

"I can't wait to meet her," Pam said.

"We've got the sitter on it," Darryl answered, "Mikey's all taken care of."

He then said his goodbyes and exited the Manor.

"Speaking of children….." Leo started.

"Don't start," Piper cut him off.

"Piper, come on. No demonic attacks for months; we're all moved in and finally married. What are you waiting for?"

"I think I'm gonna go out and….look for new furniture," Pam started, "You guys wanna come?"

"Oh definitely," Prue said quickly.

"I could use a new chair, "Cole said uncomfortably.

"Phoebe…" Pam prodded.

"I think I'll stay here," Phoebe said vaguely while staring at Leo and Piper.

Despite her answer, Cole and Prue grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the Manor.

"Hey!" she protested, but it was useless.

Then Piper and Leo continued their argument.

"Leo babies aren't a one-time deal. Just because demons seem to be irrelevant at the moment doesn't mean they won't be back as soon as we let our guard down. I swear you'll jinx it Leo!" Piper protested.

Just when Leo was about to contradict Piper's point, there was a knock at the door.

Piper went past Leo and left him standing there looking defeated.

Piper opened the door but one look at the person on the other side made her fall to her the ground.

Leo spun around and saw Piper laying there with a man with dark hair hunched over her.

The man looked up at Leo not knowing what to say.

The only words he could gather himself to say were simple, but not unexpected.

"Is Prue home?" Bane Jessup asked hopefully.

A/N: Everyone knows who Bane is right? If you don't, just ask me I'll be glad to answer. So how's my return? It's definitely in a different air then Her Destiny, so don't be afraid to tell me if it sucked. Please review.


	2. Soulmate

Chapter 2: Soulmate

Disclaimer: Oh things would be two-million kinds of different if I owned this.

A/N: Here's chapter 2. By the way, things are getting into perspective. Like if you were wondering how Bane was real, all the things in the old reality are turning into Charmed reality. It's a subtle change, but just in case you were confused. I'll explain more of it next chapter. If you want a next chapter. I'll stop otherwise. Ask me if you want a more in-depth explanation now. Enjoy.

"I was…I came here to…." Bane tried to explain why he was in the Halliwell Manor.

"She just….she fainted after she opened the door. I didn't do anything I swear," he continued.

Leo eyed Bane warily as he sat Piper up into his arms.

"You're Bane aren't you?" Leo asked, not ever actually seeing Bane but just hearing of him.

"So you heard of me? I know I'm not exactly in the position to ask the questions, but who are you?"

"I'm Leo Wyatt. Do you know what Whitelighters are? "

"Yeah, I've heard of em,'" Bane answered, "So I take it you're theirs?"

"What are you doing out of jail?" Leo asked more defensively and a bit rudely.

"I actually got off on a technicality. Since I never had me evidentiary hearing, they couldn't hold me for more than five years. Naturally the first place I came was here."

"Prue's out right now. I think its best you come back later. I….." Leo started.

"Leo?" Piper questioned from Leo's arms, "What happened? Why am I on the floor? And—'' she trailed off as she saw Bane, "Oh. Now I remember," she said indistinctly.

"Honey are you okay?" Leo asked concerned, "Do you want me to heal you?"

"Honey?" Bane questioned, "are you two….together? Doesn't that break some kind of rule? I mean I don't know much but….."

"Yes," Piper cut him off, "It's a long story. Let's just say the people 'Up There' owed us big-time. But you….you're back? How?"

Bane was about to open his mouth to answer but Leo cut him off as well.

"He got let out. But like I was saying before, I think it's best for him to go right now…..until Prue gets hone," Leo said, still unsure of if he should trust Bane or not.

"Leo, it's okay. We can trust him," Piper assured him, "You're welcome to stay here with us until Prue gets back Bane."

Bane gave an appreciative smile to Piper as Piper gave an 'it's okay' look to Leo, and they all made their way into the Living room.

"I think I'll get this lamp," Prue said eyeing one Victorian-looking piece in the lamp section.

"I don't know, I think the Victorian element's just a little overplayed in the manor as it is," Pam commented.

"Do you think they'll ever stop?" Phoebe questioned of all of them.

"Making Victorian things?" Prue asked confused.

"No, I mean Piper and Leo. Do you think they'll ever stop fighting about having children?"

"Oh," Prue said, "I'm sure she's just getting used to being a wife right now. I think she wants children, but you know how Piper micromanages things. She likes things to run on a schedule. I think right now it scares her to have something outside of the Charmed Ones that's not structured."

"That's probably it," Phoebe said, surprised at Prue's insightful words.

"Well _I_ for one would love to have a guy just waiting to have kids," Prue spoke dreamily, "I think that would just be great."

"So now that I'm out I think the thing that's been on my mind most is kids," Bane said back at the Manor.

"Kids?" Piper questioned.

"With Prue?" Leo asked in a very skeptical tone.

"Not necessarily, but I think it would just be great to have someone to raise, ya know, teach them what you know, watch them grow."

"That's funny, I've been thinking the same thing lately," Leo said with a smile as turned his gaze towards Piper.

"Anyway," she said quickly changing the subject, "where are you living at the moment. Do you have any place in mind?"

"Well there's still that house up by Bodega Bay. I was thinking I could fix that up, finish it."

Both Piper and Leo nodded their heads understandingly.

But Piper's face looked a bit confused.

"I don't mean to be intrusive, but what did you come here for exactly?" Piper asked, not really caring that she was prodding more than she should be, "I mean, Prue of course, but what did you want to find?"

"I guess I came to find someone who understands me. Someone I can relate to, connect with."

Pam, Prue, and Phoebe came walking up the steps to the Manor.

Prue was obviously continuing what she had been saying earlier.

"I guess what I want more than anything is someone who understands me. Ya know? Someone who can relate to who I am, someone I can really connect with. And of course someone who I won't have to hide the whole witch thing from."

Pam and Phoebe gave understanding nods.

"And of course someone that I won't have to hide the whole ex con thing from," Bane continued. After seeing Leo check his watch for the third time in the last ten minutes, he got up to make his way to the door, thinking he had overstayed his welcome.

Prue, Pam, Phoebe, and Cole came through the door at almost the same time, Prue in front as she continued talking.

"But what I really, want, more than anything, I guess you could say…," Prue thought for a second.

"But over all, I just want," Bane continued.

Both Bane and Prue rounded the corner at the same time and stopped just short of colliding. Both of them finished their speeches in unison.

"A soulmate."

A/N: How's it so far? Let me know. Ask any questions if you're confused.


	3. Fights, Niners, and Unheard Whispers

Chapter 3: Fights, Niners, and Un-heard Whispers

Disclaimer: Has Shannen Doherty left the sandy beaches of Hawaii for Golden Gate Park? Then you can probably guess how much I own this.

A/N: There seemed to be somewhat an uproar regarding the last chapter (Bane and Prue.) Have you looked at my penname lately?

Prue dropped the bags she was holding as she tried to make sense of what was going on. Phoebe rubbed her eyes in a 'can't believe it' sort of way, while Cole thought on the identity of the man who was making everyone so astounded.

"Soulmate..." Bane repeated without taking his eyes off Prue.

"And what a word it is!" Piper chimed as she made her way to Bane and Prue to try to end the awkward moment.

"Uh, what a surprise Prue…Bane got out…." Piper trailed off as her efforts to break the ice went un-noticed.

"….And he came to see you…" she tried once more.

Prue broke free of the stare with a confused look.

"Me? He came to see..." she stopped for a second, then continued, "me?" she finished, trying to reach a conclusion but having uncertainty shadow her tone.

Phoebe stared in amazement, but anger was obviously her overriding emotion.

"They let him out?" she asked in an unbelieving tone. "Him?" she emphasized. "What kind of crack-pot city do we live in where convicts can just walk free, and…"

"Phoebe!" Piper cut her rant off with a warning glare.

"It's okay, she has a right." Bane assured.

"No, she really doesn't," Prue contradicted, "you proved yourself plenty the last time you were here; you shouldn't have to answer to her of all people."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Phoebe answered defending herself.

"Oh you know exactly what I mean," Prue retorted with condescension as she narrowed her eyes.

Afraid Prue would use her powers, Piper jumped in front of her angry sister.

"Okay then. As fun as that was, I think we should move this little pow wow into the kitchen," she said, dropping her chipper tone for an admonishing one.

"Fine," Prue barked.

"Fine," Phoebe followed.

Pam, who had remained silent this entire time of out pure confusion, followed her three sisters into the kitchen. She turned and directed a puzzled look at Leo, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

Phoebe continued her tirade as soon as the girls made it into the kitchen.

"You can't expect us to welcome a felon into our home Prue!"

"Oh yeah cause' that _much_ worse than a cold blooded demonic killer Phoebe"

"DO NOT bring Cole into this Prue!"

"Why not?" Prue asked sternly.

"It's different and you know it!" Phoebe retorted.

"You're right Phoebe. It's different because Bane's actually made up for what he's done." Prue said, her temper rising.

That had touched a nerve.

"I know you didn't just say that you stupid Irish mi…"

"Enough!" Piper screamed, afraid of what Prue would've done if Phoebe had finished her last word.

Pam knew this was one of those things she shouldn't get involved in. Even though she knew of Bane's identity and the whole ordeal from watching them when she was 'Up There' with the Elders, it was clear to her that she should just stay out.

Outside the kitchen Leo raised his eyebrows at hearing Piper yell so loud. Along with him, Cole and Bane sat in uncomfortable silence.

"So…." Leo tried, "How about those Niners?"

"We are going to settle this, like civilized adults," Piper said, now even angrier than her sisters.

"Bane has proved we can trust him, and that's the end of that."

Prue gave a triumphant look to Phoebe, but she was looking at the floor.

"Prue, so has Cole, so that's the end of that," Piper finished.

Prue's grin faded as she mumbled something under her breathe.

"Prue..." Piper said vigilantly.

"Okay fine," she answered quickly.

"Now kiss and make-up," Piper said in a joking manner.

Both Prue and Phoebe looked in her in a 'now's so not the time,' look.

"Okay. Pushin' it. Got it." She said as she exited the kitchen and her three sisters followed her.

Leo, Cole, and Bane welcomed the girls as their conversation on the Niners obviously hadn't been going anywhere.

"So, happy to see me?" Bane said as he made his way to hug Prue.

"Of course I am," she said as she made to hug him back.

But she hesitated a second as she heard someone whisper her name.

It was familiar, but oddly faint.

"Prue, it's me. I need your help."

But Prue shrugged it off as she wrapped her arms around Bane.

"Of course I'm glad to see you Andy."

A/N: Sorry I took so long, I'll try to update sooner and actually follow through this time. Hope you liked it, please review.


	4. Here

Chapter 4: Here

Disclaimer: Two words: Pale Skin

A/N: I know an apology means like nothing these days guys, but I really am sorry for the late update. I've just had the flu for the past two weeks and I've been kinda bed-ridden.

"What?" Bane was the first one to speak.

"Oh my God!" Phoebe said gleefully.

Piper buried her head in Leo's shoulder, knowing she would have to deal with much of the mess Prue had just made.

"What?" Prue asked of herself.

"You just said Andy. You said you missed Andy. Prue, who's Andy?" Bane asked, not really wanting an answer.

"He's…he's just..." Prue began.

"Just the love of her life!" Phoebe said through laughs.

"Phoebe!" Prue barked.

Phoebe shrugged her shoulders and put one hand to her face. She looked around as if someone else had just said the words that came out of her mouth.

Piper sighed, raised her head, and tried to start to fix the problem and restore peace in the Halliwell home.

"Phoebe, go to your room, please, just go," Piper decided that the first step was to remove the one person that was determined to make the situation worse.

"Excuse you?" Phoebe asked.

"Phoebe please," Piper tried once more, this time with desperation in her voice.

"I have a right to be hereit's my house just as much as it is yours or Prue's," Phoebe retorted, "I have more a right than most people do," she said directing an icy glare to Bane.

"You know what," Cole began, "Phoebe, Pam, Piper, and Leo follow me."

Prue looked up at Cole with surprise and appreciation.

"Thanks," she said genuinely as she looked at Cole. He simply smiled at led the rest of the group out of the house.

She thought maybe she had been too hard on Cole earlier in the kitchen. But remembering what she had heard earlier the thought was expunged from her mind as thought on the people who were going to leave the Manor.

"Actually, can Piper and Leo stay?" Prue asked innocently.

Piper looked a bit concerned for a second before she answered.

"Sure honey. Of course we'll stay," was the reply that she gave her sister.

Cole, Pam, and Phoebe left the manor and Piper turned to Prue who had a stern look on her face.

"Prue what's the matter?" asked Leo.

"Before I hugged Bane….before I said..." Prue trailed off not sure if she should say her next words.

"Before I said I missed Andy," Prue continued, averting Bane's eyes, "I heard something. It was someone saying 'Prue, it's me. I need your help.' I don't know what to make of it, but it sounded like Andy. No...it was Andy."

Piper looked puzzled as Leo thought on ways Andy could be communicating with Prue.

"Sorry to interrupt," Bane spoke, "But is Andy a witch too?" He tried to help rather than let his questions about Prue and this Andy's romantic history plague his mind.

"Umm……no. He wasn't. He was…just a…a cop," Prue answered, he voice getting quieter with every word she spoke. She hung her head and Bane felt about an inch tall thinking he had said something he shouldn't of.

"You said he _was_ a cop…is he…" Bane began.

"He got killed," Piper answered, "he was trying to save us from a demon about six years ago."

"Oh," was all Bane could say.

"Prue, I'll check the Book and read up on spirits," Piper told her sister.

"I'll check with the Elders," Leo reinforced.

Prue nodded and watched Leo orb away, kissing Piper's head before he left.

Bane looked startled at Leo's orbs, never seeing a Whitelighter orb before.

"So…Prue who is Andy?" Bane asked.

"I know right now probably isn't the best time…but I just need to know. Is it like Phoebe said?" He continued.

"Bane…Andy and I were together in High School, but we broke up. We got back together a couple of years ago but he left me when he thought I was hiding something from him. He found out I was a witch but he got killed before we really got to discuss the matter much."

"Prue, I'm here for you. I want you to know that I'm here. But I want to know what he meant to you. Who was he to you?" Bane prodded.

"He was..." Prue began, "Ban, he was…"

But just as Prue was going to answer, she heard again the voice that had caused the confusion.

"Tell him Prue. Tell him who I am to you. You know who I am. I'm here."

A/N: Please review. Like really I'm getting zero feedback here please I really want you guys to review.


	5. Reason For Being

Chapter 5: Reason for Being

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Charmed. And Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano love each other like sisters.

A/N: Okay here it is. Hope you enjoy and please review.

"He's here," Prue said almost without meaning to.

"What do you mean he's here?" Bane said looking around the room, seemingly trying to see Andy.

"Heuh, never mind. How about you stay down here for a second. I'm gonna go see what Piper found," Prue said a bit nervously, going up the stairs and onto the landing as she spoke.

"Piper, have you found anything out?" Prue said urgently as she entered the attic. She made her way over to Piper and the Book, and seeing that Piper wasn't answering or looking up from her reading, got worried.

"Piper?" Prue said loudly.

"What? Oh. Sorry. I didn't hear you before," Piper apologized.

"You look worried, what happened?" Piper continued. "Did you hear Andy again?"

"More than that," Prue answered, "he sounded desperate, like he was fading away or something."

"That would make sense," Piper concluded, "According to the Book, the only way Andy could be holding on like this is if something big is holding him back. It's been six years Prue—a normal spirit can't keep from moving on that long unless they're feeling a strong human emotion. Like anger, love, or some kind of deep emotional pain."

Prue winced slightly at the thought of Andy in pain, but composed herself to let Piper explain the rest of the situation.

"Either that or they have some kind of vendetta mission. Maybe Andy's reason for holding on is being threatened, so he's finding the need to reach out to you. If he's trying to reinforce his reason for being, it's no surprise he's full of desperation."

Prue realized exactly why Andy was trying to reach out to her.

"Bane" she said.

"What?" Piper asked.

"It's love, Piper. Me and Andy…we loved each other more than anything. When he died and I went 'Up There' with him for that little bit of time, he told me I had to let him gothat I had to move on. But I could tell, I could see it in his eyes. He didn't want to leave me anymore than I wanted to leave him."

"Prue, I know it was hard for you. I know how much you wanted to save him. It hurt me when he died too. I…" Piper started.

"Piper, there's something else. I think he's here," Prue said cautiously. Even she was skeptical of her theory.

"Here?" Piper asked suspiciously.

"Maybe he just came or maybe he's been here," Prue said hurriedly.

"I'm not sure which," she continued slower, "But he knew what Bane and I were talking about when I heard him. He couldn't let go. He's been here because of his love, but now Bane's back. I don't think he knows if I still love him or not."

"But Prue, you've been with other guys before. He's never contacted you before, has he?" Piper inquired.

"The other guys were just dates. They were a way to…I don't know….fill up time," Prue said as she laughed slightly.

"It was more like a job than something I enjoyed. But Bane and I never dated. We just had this attraction. I think Andy knows that. I think he needs to see…." Prue trailed off.

"That you still love him," Piper finished with a bit of a knowledgeable smile.

"Yeah," Prue said simply.

She smiled as well until she saw Piper's face go blank. She turned around and saw Bane standing in the doorway.

A/N: I know it was ridiculously short, but please review.


	6. Sometimes They Come Back

Chapter 6: Sometimes They Come Back

Disclaimer: Look pigs are flying! Oh wait, no they're not.

A/N: No time wasted, here's the next chapter. Please review.

"Bane I…." Prue began.

"Don't," Bane said abruptly.

"But I..." Prue tried again. She wasn't even sure what she was going to say if she got a third word in, but she had to try.

"Prue, it's not exactly a surprise. I might be a felon, but I'm not dumb. You get whispers from an ex, there has to be a reason. And you didn't exactly look like you were over him when you were telling me about you two. Nice seein' you again. I'll let myself out," Bane said as he walked out of the attic door and down the steps of the Manor.

"Bane!" Prue said as she began to run after him. She turned towards Piper and gave her a desperate look. Piper shrugged her shoulders without a solution, and followed after Prue.

Bane was walking out of the house when Prue caught his arm and pulled him back inside the door.

"Bane, please listen. I'm not even sure what's going on right now. You have to understand if I'm a bit confused about what I'm feeling. You just show up out of nowhere and then I start getting messages from Andy. I know you've been thrown into this whole thing, but can you at least stay until we work this whole thing out?"

"Why?" Bane said angrily and a bit warily. "So I can be your last resort when this Andy doesn't show up on your doorstep? It's no mystery how you feel about this guy, Prue. I'm not gonna sit around and wait until you realize that he's not coming back."

Prue's face fell as Bane said what she needed to realize. She had been secretly hoping that she could get Andy back somehow though all this mess.

Bane saw the hurt in Prue's eyes and knew he should take back what he had just said.

"Prue, I didn't mean that. I…." Bane started.

"No," Prue cut him off, "you did mean it. Look Bane, you have every right to be angry at all this, and there's nothing I can really do or say to make you stay. But, pleaseat least for now, can you stay?"

Prue was genuine in what she was saying. Even though she knew she didn't love Bane, she still felt for him. In any case, she couldn't leave things how they were.

"Alright," Bane said a little begrudgingly. No matter how angry he was, he knew he couldn't really stay mad at her for long.

Just then Leo orbed in next to Piper.

"What did the Elders say?" Piper asked him.

Leo's face looked like he wasn't exactly sure how to answer.

"The Elders know where Andy is," he said sheepishly.

"Okay…" Piper said, wondering why Leo was acting so weird.

"Well where is he?" Prue asked a bit urgently.

Bane's face fell as he heard Prue's desperation for finding Andy.

"He's 'Up There'" Leo said as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, yeah I know that," Prue said, "but how is he communicating with me? Why hasn't he moved on?"

Leo stayed quiet a second and Prue, Piper and Bane looked at him impatiently, wanting an answer fast.

"He hasn't moved on because they won't let him."

"What?" Prue asked confused.

"There's no time to explain right now Prue. Andy used to be up there. But now, Prue now he's here. He's looking for you, and we have to find him," Leo concluded

Cole, Phoebe, and Pam sat in a restaurant near the Manor.

Cole and Phoebe sat in one side of a booth and Pam sat on the other side. Both Pam and Cole looked at Phoebe with bored expressions as she had obviously been ranting about Bane and Prue.

"He's a con!" Phoebe almost screamed.

"Ex-con," Pam said apathetically.

"Does it make a difference?" Phoebe yelled.

"I thought you'd be the last person to judge someone based on their past Phoebe," Cole said.

"You gave me so many chances, can't you give Bane one?" He continued.

"Yeah…well he's different," Phoebe said hastily.

"How?" Cole asked coolly.

Phoebe was at a loss for words but found reason quickly.

"He's completely wrong for her," Phoebe said conclusively.

"Isn't that for Prue to decide?" Pam asked.

"I think Prue's already decided," Phoebe said, "you heard her. She misses Andy not that thug."

"Phoebe..." Cole said.

"Alright, fine. He's not a thug. But Prue could do better and she knows it," Phoebe finished.

"Do you think we should be heading back?" Pam asked.

Cole checked his watch before answering.

"Yeah, maybe. It's been almost an hour," Cole answered.

He left a tip on the table and got up out of the booth. Phoebe and Pam followed suit as the three walked towards the exit of the restaurant.

As they made their way out, a man stopped them.

He looked a bit ragged, like he'd been living on the street.

"I need your help," the man said.

Phoebe started to take some money out of her pocket but the man stopped her.

"I don't need your money, Phoebe. It's me. I know I don't look like it, but it really is me. It's Andy."

A/N: I don't mean to be needy but please review.


	7. Angel

Chapter 7: Angel

Disclaimer: Does Alyssa Milano own 13 percent of Charmed because of her excellent abilities as a producer? Okay then.

A/N: I would really love it if you guys asked me questions or maybe gave me suggestions with the story. I know it's obviously my responsibility to write the story and everything, but what's the point of writing if no one enjoys what's going on in the plot? Thanks so much to those of you who did review. You have my heartfelt gratitude.

"Leo I think you need to make time," Prue almost yelled. She started at Leo with an icy glare, wanting desperately to know where Andy was.

"Prue, calm down," Piper tried, "whatever's happening it's not Leo's fault."

Prue let her nerves relax a little as she came to the realization that Piper was right. She still however, needed to know Andy's whereabouts.

"Prue, maybe you should come over here," Leo said evenly.

Prue feared that whatever Leo had to say would conclude in some terrible fate for Andy. Although she was eager to know what was happening, she complied with Leo's request as she went with him to the conservatory. Piper followed, and Prue automatically turned to see what Bane thought about the fact that they were excluding him.

"It's okay, Prue," Bane said with a bit of a wry smile.

Prue smiled as well and she turned as her, Piper, and Leo all went into the room.

"Prue," Leo started, "The Elders knew how Andy's death affected you. They knew that you were hurting badly. So much so that you even considered relinquishing your duties as a Charmed One. This worried them to the extent that they thought they had to go through some great lengths to make sure you wouldn't quit the craft."

"But I got over that a long time ago. I…" Prue started.

"You think you did," Leo interrupted, "The Elders can see more than you might think. They knew that your pain wasn't going away. So they kept Andy in a place where he could reach you. To keep you going."

"I thought you never got messages from him before," Piper stated.

"I haven't," Prue said a bit confused directing her gaze towards Leo.

"You don't realize it, but he fuels your dreams Prue. All your hopes and wants are instituted by him. All your doubts, your sadness, and even your fears are pushed away by him. The Elders knew Andy was the one person that could do this. He's the one person that knows you better than…."

"Than what?" Piper asked a bit offended. "I'm her sister. Didn't the Elders think I," she paused for a second, not wanting to say anything she'd regret, "didn't they think Phoebe and I could help Prue through whatever she was feeling?"

Leo didn't want to jump into an answer for fear of speaking for Prue. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and Prue got the notion that he wanted her to answer.

"I would never want to put that on you guys, Piper. Whatever I was feeling, it couldn't come in front of me taking care of you."

"Prue, that's ridiculous. No matter what's happening you know you can come talk to me. Nothing comes over that," Piper said a little agitated that Prue didn't already know this.

"I know," Prue said with a little half smile, "it didn't seem right at the time, but I know now. That's the important thing."

Prue stopped and thought for a second, still reeling form the fact that Andy had still been with her this whole time. For six years she wanted so much for him to come back, but he was always there. He was her angel. He had been her everything almost the whole time they'd known each other. She could hardly start to consider what Leo was saying. He had never left. Tears started to fall lightly from Prue's eyes as she shakily began to ask Leo a new set of questions.

"Leo," Prue said through quiet sobs, "Why is he back? Why's he started to communicate with me just now? Is it something I did?" Prue sounded innocent as she waited for her answer.

"Prue, its okay," Piper coaxed, knowing that Prue would break down sooner or later, "You didn't do anything."

She gave a look to Leo indicating that she wanted him to make things right.

"Prue, he's here because the Elders have noticed a shift in Andy's actions. They've noticed a shift in your actions. They know that you've been better. With the Source dead and this new life ahead of you, you've been less reliant on Andy's guidance. He's not needed anymore. So they were going to let him go. In all respects, he was messing with the grand design of life and death. But the thing is, Andy wasn't ready to go. To let go. Of you."

Prue looked at Leo when he spoke these last words. Piper continued to try to soothe her, though her efforts were going unnoticed by Prue.

"It's no surprise that the Elders didn't like the way Andy challenged them. Because of the way they kept him around, the only way for Andy to move on was for him to do it willingly. The Elders had to try to force Andy to go," Leo explained.

"That's why he sounded so pained," Prue said with realization. Piper looked at her in compliance.

"Andy wanted a way to get away, but he couldn't survive on Earth as a spirit," Leo continued, "at least not until gravity allowed him to take some sort of corporeal form. The Elders think that in his desperation he may have gone into the body of someone here. But he won't be able to go on like that for long. He'll be thrown from the body soon enough, and the he'll just be Andy."

"What do you mean he'll just be Andy?" Prue tried not to cry or get her hopes up as she waited for an answer from Leo.

"He'll be human again. The Elders knew the risk of keeping Andy around that long. They knew it could alter Andy's form; make him too susceptible to human emotions. There's no way he could be on Earth without reverting to his human form. Only the Elders never though Andy would try to do that," Leo answered.

"But how do we find him?" Piper inquired.

Just as Leo was about to answer her question, Pam, Phoebe, Cole and a man concealed by the rest of the group walk into the Manor. The four stepped into the conservatory, and Pam, Phoebe and Cole moved out of the way of the man. He came forward, and spoke as he did so.

"You don't have to," were the first words from Andy Treaudu's mouth. Just as the Charmed One's had seen him last, he stood before them. A fallen angel.

A/N: A little predictable. Maybe not my best. Please review.


	8. Cry Yourself To Sleep

Chapter 8: Cry Yourself to Sleep

Disclaimer: If only.

A/N: Okay, I'm starting to annoy myself so I know you guys are pissed off, but please review. Now on with the fic.

On instinct Prue ran to hug Andy. Piper and Leo smiled, as did Phoebe, Pam, and even Cole. Prue and Andy broke away, and they just stared at each other lovingly for an un-interrupted 2 minutes. But a troubled looked played across Prue's face as she realized something.

"Bane," she said vaguely.

Andy's smiled faded, these words obviously not being what he wanted to hear.

"Not exactly the response I was looking for," Andy said a bit sternly, even though he had meant for it to be humorous.

"No," Prue said quickly, not wanting Andy to have a reason to doubt her love for him, "I just mean that he was here before you came."

"We didn't see him when we came in," Cole said, trying to help.

"I guess he slipped out after we went into the conservatory," rationalized Leo.

"Thank God," Phoebe said as she sighed and rolled her eyes.

Piper shot Phoebe a warning glance and Phoebe gave Piper a look as if to say 'I couldn't help it.' She then quickly tried to catch herself.

"What I mean to say is, I'm just glad that Prue and Andy can spend some time together without any…"

Phoebe paused before she said her next word, and Piper gave her a look to make sure she said the right thing.

"..interruptions. I'm glad there are no interruptions," Phoebe finished begrudgingly.

She then said something under her breathe, but to her better judgment Piper chose to ignore it.

"We can deal with him later," Cole said. Even if he didn't know Andy very well, or Prue for that matter, he knew what it was like to be in love.

"Right now I think we should leave Prue and Andy to their business," he continued.

Once more the group left so that lovers could handle their affairs.

As soon as the others had left, Prue and Andy both sat down on the couch.

"I...I have so much to ask," Prue started, a little shaken, not wanting to believe this was real.

"So, you know…what's happened since..." Prue trailed off.

"Yeah," Andy said quickly, not wanting to make Prue replay his death. A large smile came across his face. "Every minute of it."

His blue eyes lit up and so did hers.

Andy's smile faded quickly with his next t words, "I'm so sorry," he said.

Prue looked at him, confused.

"For what," she said, crying slightly. She had a feeling of what Andy was going to say, but she didn't want to hear him say it. It would be too much.

"For leaving you," Andy answered, "for not being there. You needed me, and I just…I'm sorry."

Those were the words that did it.

Prue fell into Andy's arms, bawling.

"I was so lost," she sobbed, "I couldn't see." She continued.

Andy looked down at her surprised, never seeing this side of Prue before. The Prue he knew was strong, she could handle anything. But the woman in his arms seemed as defenseless as a child. He didn't like it; it hurt him to see Prue like this. He began to cradle her in his arms, wanting to make everything better.

"Everything was so dark," she said, "you were my light. But you were gone. I didn't know what to do…I..." Prue words were lost in her crying.

"Sssh," Andy consoled.

Andy stroked Prue's hair and she continued to weep into his chest.

Andy and Prue rocked back and forth on the couch, until silently, Prue cried herself to sleep.

A/N: I know, it's short and it's been forever since I updated. Sorry for that. But it's the end of the year and everyone's goin' all crazy with tests, work, and parties. I'll have the next chapter up much sooner.


	9. Never Leave Me

Chapter 9: Never Leave Me

Disclaimer: If I owned this the demons would actually be scary, not have cheap perms and corsets and think that they're Elektra.

A/N: Didn't I tell you'd I'd be better with the updates?

It was now 9'clock at night and the Halliwells, Cole, and Leo came into the Manor. Cole and Piper led the group as they all crept into the door, not wanting to interrupt anything or act as a disturbance in any way.

Piper rounded the corner and came into the living room, everyone else following her. Upon seeing Andy and Prue, she left the others to get a blanket to cover the couple. When she put it over them Andy opened his eyes to reveal he wasn't asleep.

"I didn't want to leave her," Andy almost struggled to say, "not again."

Piper recognized dried tears on his face as well as Prue's. She nodded and tucked the blanket under the two. She faced the rest of the group, put a finger over her mouth with one hand, and ushered them out with the other.

They made their way up the stairs only to realize that they didn't have all of their furniture put in their rooms. Their beds weren't even there yet.

Almost at the same time, Piper, Leo, Cole, Phoebe, and Pam came out of their rooms. In a silent agreement the two couples and Pam went back into their rooms, grabbed a few pieces of clothing, and exited the Manor. The group piled into Piper's car, and with Cole at the wheel, they drove off to a hotel.

"They looked so sad," Piper said, troubled as she rested her head on Leo's shoulder.

"Well you have to expect that," Leo said, "the last time Prue saw Andy he was in a coffin. A lot of bad memories must have been brought up."

"But a lot of good ones too," Phoebe said trying to cheer up the mood, "I mean, they're soul mates Leo."

"I'm just happy Prue's happy," Pam chimed in. After a second of thought, she spoke again. "What's the deal with Andy though?" She asked, never knowing the man, "I know he saved you guy's lives when he died and you grew up together, but what kind of person is he?"

"The best," Piper answered, "he's all you could ever want in a brother-in-law."

The group pulled into the hotel and they all got out of the Jeep. They picked up their small bags and made their way to the front desk. They got two rooms: one for the couples and one for Pam, on Pam's request.

As they left the front desk, the clerk picked up the front desk phone, and spoke into it without dialing.

"They're here," he said darkly.

In a room somewhere in the hotel, a voice replied on the other line.

"Thank you," the voice said simply.

The man behind the voice had a long black coat with all black attire on underneath. His hair was white and his cheeks were sallow. His eyes were ice blue and looked as if they alone could kill you. But it was his voice that scared you to death.

"What do you want me to do with them Barbas?" the desk clerk asked.

"Just leave them," Barbas said, "I'll get them when it's time."

The next morning, Andy started to stir as the sun came through the stain glass windows. He slowly opened his eyes and was a bit taken aback by his surroundings. He didn't want to leave Prue, but thought it would e nice for her to have some coffee when she woke up. He slowly got from under her and made his way to the familiar Halliwell kitchen.

While Andy was in the kitchen, Prue started to wake herself. Before she opened her eyes, she felt around for Andy under her. When she didn't feel him she opened her eyes with alarm and looked around the room for him. She jumped off the couch, ran to the front door and flung it open. She looked out the door for Andy and ran back into the living room when she didn't see him.

"Andy!" she called out helplessly.

He ran from the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm here, Prue," he tried, "don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

"I thought you'd left," Prue said, beginning to cry again.

"No, Prue. I just went to make you coffee. I'm not leaving." Andy tried again to soothe her, recognizing how fragile she was. He kissed her forehead and led her to the kitchen.

As soon as they got into the room the phone rang. The noise made Prue jump a little, so Andy went to go answer it.

"Hello?" Andy asked.

"Hey, Andy its Piper."

"Piper?" Andy inquired. "Where are you?"

"We all went to the San Francisco Bay Inn to let you guys be alone for the night," she answered. "I just wanted to let you guys know where we were," Piper continued.

Andy nodded his head to Piper's explanation.

"We'll go out to lunch later today, maybe spend some time around the city to give you guys some time alone," Piper finished.

"Thanks," Andy said as he smiled at the thought of his first whole day alone with Prue.

"Talk to you later," Andy said as he put down the phone.

"What did Piper say?" Prue asked.

"She wanted to tell me that they all went to the Bay hotel for the night. They won't be back for a while."

Andy and Prue both gave wide smiles, knowing neither of them would ever leave.

A/N: I'll have another one up soon. Please review.


	10. Predictable

Chapter 10: Predictable

Disclaimer: If I owned this, "Freaky Phoebe" would be "Fabulous Prue."

A/N: Hope you guys like it.

"What do you want to do first?" Andy asked Prue while they were eating breakfast at the table.

"Let's go to the swing," Prue answered happily, referring to the field that Prue and Andy visited often in high school and right before Andy had died.

"That's just what I was thinking," he said brightly.

"We should have a picnic," Prue continued.

When Andy looked puzzled on the idea of getting food for this picnic, Prue spoke again.

"Don't worry," she said, "Piper has tons of food in the fridge. The most we would have to do is heat something up," she said with a laugh

At the hotel Piper, Phoebe, Cole, Leo, and Pam were all going downstairs to check out of the hotel.

"Hold up you guys," Pam said as she stopped walking, "I think I forgot something in my room. I'll meet you guys at the car."

"Okay, sure," Piper said as she started to walk again, "see you soon."

"Can you take my bag?" Pam asked of her younger sister.

"Yeah sure. Do you want me to take your phone too?" Piper asked, noting that Pam's phone was in her other hand and not in her bag.

"No, that's okay," Pam answered.

She walked away towards the elevator. Pam pressed the 'up' button and waited for the doors to open. When they did she saw a figure that made her drop her phone without even thinking. She didn't even have time to scream before Barbas grabbed her by the throat and covered her mouth.

Prue lay in Andy's lap as they both lounged on top of a blue checkered picnic blanket under the shade of the large Willow tree beside them.

"This is perfect," Prue said dreamily, and then looked up at Andy, "you're perfect."

"You don't know how much I've missed you," Andy said, "all this time I could see you, I just couldn't hold you."

"How was it?" Prue asked Andy.

"How was what?" he asked back, slightly confused.

"Up There, I mean," Prue answered, "how was it for you?"

"White," Andy said with a laugh.

"I'm serious," Prue said, even though she was also laughing.

"Lonely, I guess," Andy said, musing, "I was kept around for this one purpose, but I knew I could never actually be with you. It was kind of gut wrenching."

"None of that matters now," Prue jumped in, "All that matters is that we're together and we're safe."

The two lay in silence for a second until they both looked up at the fact that their shade had been blocked by the shadow of a man.

"That's the last thing you are is safe."

Prue and Andy both got up quickly seeing the man in front of them.

"What are you doing here?" Andy said defensively, shielding Prue.

"I'm here to warn you. You're not safe. You won't be safe. Not without me," Bane said sternly, his jaw tensing at the fact that Andy thought he had to shield Prue from him.

"What is it?" Prue said, coming from behind Andy. Andy looked embarrassed for trying to protect Prue.

"He's back," Bane said, "and he has your family."

Barbas had Pam in a back room in the hotel.

"What do you want with me?" Pam asked helplessly as she tried to break free from the chair Barbas had her tied to.

"Oh, and here I thought the oldest was supposed to be the smartest," Barbas spoke spitefully.

"What does any demon want, witch!" He screamed.

"Of course, you and yours are a special case," he continued, "but it's all the same. And if you're the best they have, my job's gong to be even easier than I thought."

"What do you think is taking Pam so long?" Phoebe asked as she fiddled with the radio.

"I don't know," said Leo with a troubled look on his face.

"Maybe we should go in and check on her," Cole offered.

The group went back into the hotel. They walked into the lobby where the elevators were, and saw Pam's phone on the floor. Cole picked it up and opened it. He instantly recognized it as Pam's.

"It's her phone," Cole addressed the rest of the group.

"Well either she dropped it or…." Leo started.

"Or something happened to her," Piper finished.

"And with our luck, something has her right now," Phoebe added.

The four of them went up the stairs and checked their rooms for Pam. The doors had been left open for the maids to clean them, so they walked in and looked around. When they didn't find her, they went down the stairs and out of the hotel. They piled into the car and drove toward the Manor.

As soon as they got in the house, Piper started to direct them as to what to do to find Pam.

"Phoebe, you scry. Leo, you call Prue and tell her to get over here. Cole, you…."

"Go to the Underworld to find out where I'm hiding," Barbas finished for Piper.

Everyone backed up at the site of the demon, surprised by his presence.

"Good is always so predictable."

A/N: So hope you liked it. Please review.


	11. Blue Eyes

Chapter 11: Blue Eyes

Disclaimer: I'll own this when Kern says, "Hey, Shannen Doherty was a pretty nice gal."

A/N: Nothin' special to say. Hope you enjoy it.

"You'd think after all these years you'd think of better plans," Barbas continued, "Of course I can't speak too freely. My plans have stayed the same as well."

Barbas walked up to Piper and took her by neck. He began to scan for her greatest fear, but he stopped when someone busted through the door.

"You get away from her!" Prue hollered as she ran through the door. She waved her hand and flung Barbas across the room into the banister.

Barbas got up, almost unfazed by the blow.

"Never send a mortal to do a demon's job," Barbas spat to himself before flaming out.

"What was he talking about?" Piper asked of herself as well as the whole group.

"Me," Bane said as she came through the door, Andy walking in front of him.

"What is he doing back here?" Phoebe asked, both agitated and weary.

"He's here to help," Prue said quickly and angrily, but caught herself remembering Andy was in the room, "Barbas came to him and told him to bring me and Andy to him," Prue said slower.

"He wanted me to work for him again," Bane filled in, "he told me where to find Prue and Andy and where to bring them. That's where he has the other girl." Bane said, never really knowing who Pam was in the first place.

"Barbas told you he had Pam?" Leo asked vigilantly.

"He told me he had one of the Halliwells, and as far as I can see she's the only one not here," Bane answered as best as he could.

"Well where did he say he had her?" Prue said quickly but gently, knowing it was hard enough for Bane to be here not to mention help them find their sister.

"He has her in a hidden room. It's hard to explain, but he waved his hand to the back wall of the elevator and some door appeared. He said something about only demons being able to get in and out of it," Bane said, also gently. He was gazing into Prue's blue eyes the whole time he was talking, and didn't stop after he had finished speaking. Prue smiled at him, and looked back at him even though she knew she shouldn't.

"I think I should be able to do that," Cole offered.

At that Bane broke free from his gaze and realized Andy had been watching him sternly the whole time he had been looking at Prue. He looked at Andy almost apologetically while Prue just tried her best to avert Andy's eyes.

"Cole, you shouldn't. You don't know what's there yet. He knows that Bane's helping us. He's probably moved Pam by now. You could be walking right into a trap," Phoebe said, not wanting Cole to get hurt.

"We don't know that Barbas thinks Bane is helping us yet," Piper rationalized, "he might just think that Prue and Andy got away or that Bane just failed."

"Maybe," Phoebe stated, "But are you willing to take that chance?"

"We're not going to get anywhere by standing here arguing," Cole jumped in, "I should go to the hotel, but you should be there just in case. But at least two of you should stay here in case Barbas comes back. We should take separate cars. Piper and Leo, you go in Piper's car, and Bane, Phoebe and I will take Prue's car," Cole finished, meaning for Andy and Prue to be the two to stay behind.

The rest of the group seemed to agree with Cole's plan, and started to walk out the Manor door.

"Andy, you might want to call Darryl and ask him if he knows of any other places Barbas could be hiding," Piper said as she stopped walking out the door.

"Are you sure I'm the best person for that?" Andy said realistically. "What do you want me to say, 'Hey buddy, it's your dead partner, by the way could you do me a favor'?"

"You right," Prue stated, "I'll call Darryl."

"Bane, you should stay too," Prue added on.

Andy opened his mouth to object, but Prue beat him to it.

"If he goes and Barbas sees him with you guys he'll know that Bane's helping us now. Bane's our only chance to get inside information on what Barbas is doing. So the best thing to do is keep him here until you guys get back," Prue continued.

Andy knew this plan was completely reasonable, but still didn't like it. He went up to Prue, kissed her cheek, and whispered in her ear "Be careful." Prue knew Andy meant this for not only Barbas but Bane as well.

Bane turned his head away from Andy and Prue as to not see anything that would upset him. He waited until everyone was out of the house before he turned back to Prue.

Both tried to apologize for the situation at the same time, and both laughed as neither of them got a word out.

"I'm sorry, I know this must be awkward for you," Prue said as she sat down on the couch.

"It not your fault," Bane said sitting next to her.

"It really means a lot to me, you coming back here to help us," Prue continued, "it takes a really big man to do that."

"Yeah, well, I try," Bane joked as he gave a small laugh.

"I want you to know that as long as you're happy, I'm happy," he continued.

Prue smiled and looked into Bane's eyes much like he had looked into hers earlier. Their friendly blue color reminded her of Andy. Without Prue even realizing, Bane leaned in to kiss her. Prue didn't stop him; she was almost lost in his eyes.

"I….have to….call Darryl," she tried, but Bane wasn't about to hear it.

He kissed her, and Prue kissed back.

They were so lost in each other that neither of them realized that Piper had been standing behind them the whole time.

A/N: Devious aren't I? Don't worry, if this Bane/Prue stuff is getting you down, just remember my pen name.


	12. Heard

Chapter 12: Heard

Disclaimer: The day that Holly Marie Combs declares that she's decided to stop being best friends with Shannen Doherty is the day I'll own Charmed.

A/N: Haha, I left you guys hanging there didn't I? Well what's a story without some good cliff hangers, right?

Piper just allowed the two to kiss for a second, not knowing what to do. Finally, she mustered up the words to say something.

"Prue…I," Piper started. She stuttered as she tried to get her words out.

At the sound of Piper's voice Prue jumped off of the couch. She wiped her lips and roughly ran her fingers through her hair.

"Piper, I didn't," she stuttered, "he didn't…." Prue said as she indicated towards Bane.

"Prue, I don't even want to know," Piper said as she waved a hand towards Prue and Bane.

Prue felt dirty and knew she would have to say something to make this better.

"I, he…he reminded me of Andy," Prue said desperately, not wanting her little sister to think any less of her. She tried her best not to look at Bane though she knew he was looking at her.

Bane's face bore a terribly offended expression as he grabbed Prue's arm roughly.

Prue eyed him warily, instead of pulling her arm away as she was expected to do.

"Andy?" he said harshly. "That's not all it was Prue, I know it wasn't," Bane sounded crazed.

"You kissed me back Prue and it wasn't because of Andy, it was because of me," he declared.

"Bane, I.., I'm sorry," Prue started, "but I don't love you. I love Andy."

Bane was about to say something in response to the comment when Andy came through the door.

"Did I hear my name?" He asked cheerfully.

Bane quickly let go of Prue's arm, and, upon seeing this, Andy furrowed his brow with concern.

"Did something happen?" Andy asked up the whole room.

Prue gave a pleading look to Piper that Andy missed, but she didn't need to. Piper, thinking quickly, answered Andy without a moment's hesitation.

"No, nothing wrong," she said, "I was just telling Prue about how we ran into Darryl at the hotel because he got called when someone said they saw Pam get snatched."

"Yeah," Prue complied, "and I was just asking how he reacted to seeing you," Prue added on.

Andy raised an eyebrow to Prue, obviously not believing the explanation. Prue saw him, but shrugged it off trying to continue the conversation.

"So, how did he react," Prue continued.

"Uh, well he was a bit shaken. You know Morris; he didn't want to know details. He was just happy to know I was back for good."

"So did you find anything out?" Bane said, taking part in the conversation. Prue looked at him quickly; kind of surprised he was saying anything.

"Well Phoebe, Cole, and Leo are still at the hotel getting Pam," Andy filled in, talking more to Prue than Bane even though he had asked the question.

"You left them there alone?" Prue asked surprised. "Why didn't you just call us to tell us you'd run into Darryl?"

"The less people the better," Piper answered, "it looks a lot less suspicious for just Leo and Phoebe to be backing Cole then the whole Halliwell family."

Bane looked hurt as Piper obviously considered Andy to be family. He couldn't imagine how she felt seeing him, and outsider, with her sister when she had someone like Andy.

"I guess you're right," Prue said defeated.

"They'll call us as soon as they get her," Piper continued.

"What if they don't get her?" Bane asked.

Everyone in the room but Prue looked at him, annoyed with his negative thoughts.

Prue saw everyone's cold looks and jumped to answer before anyone else could say anything.

"We'll just plan for it," Prue said, trying to sound cheerful but failing terribly.

Piper glared slightly at Prue; obviously still floored with the fact that Prue would cheat on Andy and then defend the man she was doing it with right in front of him.

Prue looked humiliated at the fact that Piper seemed to be disgusted with her, and she looked down at the floor in shame.

"We should call Darryl and let him know we're all up to speed," Piper said, wanting to change the subject as fast as possible.

"I'll, uh, go do that," Andy said, knowing wanting to break away from the awkward moment even though he didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Andy went into the kitchen to call Darryl while Bane and Prue started to go into the sun room. Piper grabbed Prue's arm and spun her around in the other direction. Bane turned around as well when he realized that Prue was no longer behind him, but Prue gave Bane a look ushering him off to leave Prue and Piper alone. He left the room and let Prue and Piper talk. Piper looked angry beyond reason as she turned to her older sister. Although Piper had said she didn't want an explanation to what had happened, she felt that Prue owed her one.

"Prue, what the hell was that," Piper fumed in a very un-Piper like manner.

"Piper, it just happened," Prue said restlessly, agitated a little from being questioned.

"Prue, things like that don't just happen. You heard Bane, he said the kiss was more than that," Piper retorted.

"And I said it wasn't, Piper. Do you believe _him_ over _me_?" Prue said, sounding a little disgusted when she said the word 'him.'

Piper, noting this, thought for a second before speaking.

"Well he's good enough for you," she said, final.

"You know what," Prue said, too upset to even try to form a retort, "more important things are happening right now. We can worry about this later."

"I hope you're right," Piper said as she walked out, leaving Prue standing there.

Prue glared at her sister, but knew there was nothing she could say to make her sister less mad at her.

She left the room wordlessly after Piper, her head down as she walked.

Behind her, Andy came from the kitchen with a look fit to kill. Phone in his hand, he had heard every word Prue and Piper had said.

A/N: Nice, huh? I'll update soon. Please review.


	13. Talk

Chapter 13: Talk

Disclaimer: Was George Bush elected because he's the best choice for president? Then that's how much I don't own Charmed.

A/N: I know what it seems like; the Prue and Andy world has come crashing down. Puh-lease! This is just some well-placed drama.

Andy dropped the phone he was holding, not able to make sense of what he had heard. Prue sounded like she needed him. She didn't love Bane, he knew it. He couldn't begin to understand why she would kiss him. Pity? Maybe that was it. What ever it had been, he just hoped against hope that it was over.

The group had gathered right inside the door to the Manor. Bane, Piper, and Prue had obviously been discussing the issue at hand. They stopped when Andy came into their sight, changing the topic to why Cole hadn't called yet.

"It, uh, might have been more complicated than it seemed," Prue feigned the conversation.

"Maybe we should try to call Phoebe," Piper suggested.

"And what, blow their cover?" Bane disagreed.

"Well then what do you suggest?" Piper asked rudely, but adequate to the way she was feeling about Bane at the moment.

Andy stayed silent, not knowing what he would say even if he did speak.

At that moment the Cole shimmered in with Pam. Her hair had been turned half white and her skin was deathly pale as she lay limp in Cole's arms.

"Cole what happened?" Prue said as she rushed over to the two.

"Barbas got pretty close," Cole said hurriedly.

"Where's Leo," Piper asked, wanting to know where her husband was.

Just then Leo orbed into the Manor, carrying Phoebe, also limp, in his arms. He slowly put her on the ground and began healing her, not even stopping to look at his surroundings. Phoebe soon rose from her unconscious state and remembered that her sister had also been badly hurt.

"Pam!" Phoebe yelled.

"Got it," Leo said as he rushed over to Pam and Cole.

Cole moved out of his way while Leo began to heal his sister-in-law. Her hair slowly turned back to its jet black color and pigment returned to her skin.

"Where's Barbas now?" Andy asked concerned.

'We're not sure," Cole said hurriedly, revealing some wounds as he struggled to stand, "he sent a horde of demons after Phoebe and Leo after I went in for Pam. You won't believe who was waiting there for me," he said, obviously suffering from more wounds than could be seen, "it was Barbas, obviously, but he was with the desk clerk. They put up quite a bit of a fight," Cole finished, laughing slightly.

"So, what you're saying is you have no idea where he is?" Prue said cautiously.

"Basically," he said, clearly offended that no one was proud of him for saving Pam.

Phoebe went next to him to stop him from dropping to the ground.

"Cole wounded him pretty bad," Leo noted.

"Well then let's hit him while he's down," Piper suggested.

The group made their way upstairs, Prue and Andy in the back. Just as Prue reached the stairs, Andy lightly tugged at Prue's arm, much unlike the way Bane grabbed her arm earlier. He looked straight into her eyes, with no anger relevant, just pain.

"Prue," he said quietly, "We need to talk. Now."

A/N: I know it was a kind of short un-eventful chapter, but my computer keeps turning off by itself so I wanted to get this in before it decides to do it again. I'll have another one up as soon as I can.


	14. Make A Decision

Chapter 14: Make a Decision

Disclaimer: The headline for the 7.21 is "I Slept Wit a Zombie." Yeah, sure, I own that.

A/N: Aww Andy's so cute. I love him so much! Don't worry folks, Prue does too.

Prue walked with Andy to the sunroom with a million thoughts racing through her mind. She thought maybe Andy knew what had happened, and that's what he wanted to talk to her about. But how could that be? How could he know? Prue followed Andy into the room, not daring to say anything.

"Prue," Andy said sternly, "I need to know how you feel about me."

Prue looked at him confused, though she had an idea where this was leading.

"I love you Andy," Prue said in a manner to suggest Andy should've already known that.

"Prue, I need to know the truth," Andy spoke boldly, "Now I'm going to ask you one more time. How do you feel about me?"

"Andy," Prue spoke, agitated, but caught herself when she remembered Andy had every right to be asking the questions he was, "You know I love you. I love you so much I can hardly breathe without you. I can't imagine a life with you not with me in some way. The only time I'm whole is when I'm touching you, Andy," Prue spoke, almost pleading, but trying not to give herself away if Andy wasn't asking these questions because of what she had done.

"Really," Andy said sarcastically, "and how do you feel when you're touching Bane?"

Prue looked a little taken aback by Andy's words. She winced slightly, blinking unsteadily in the process.

"Tell me Prue," Andy said, his voice rising, "I wanna know. How was he?"

Prue gave no answer.

"Was he better than me? Maybe you'd like to go try again, just so you can be sure," Andy said, raging.

Prue said nothing again, knowing she deserved what was being said to her.

"You love me, huh?" Andy yelled, "What about him? How does he fit into this? Maybe you should jump into bed with him again Prue. THEN you could make a decision between the two of us!" Andy sounded much unlike himself. But what was happening had him so angered he didn't care how he sounded. He didn't even know himself anymore. If he didn't have Prue, he wasn't half that man he thought he was.

"Andy we didn't…." Prue started, "I wouldn't…" She tried again, "All we did was kiss. Andy, I just kissed him because he…he reminded me of you," Prue stated, knowing that her words sounded ludicrous.

"What?" Andy said, his anger calming down as he showed that he was clearly confused.

"We were just talking and things about him made me think of you," Prue continued.

"Don't try to turn this around Prue. Don't try to get out of this with some half-baked claim that you cheated because he reminded you of me!" Andy said, angry once more.

"I'm not trying to get out of it," Prue said, starting to get angry herself, "I'm trying to apologize. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it was his eyes, his smile, the way he was putting himself on the line to help us. It all made me think of you. If that sounds half-baked to you, I'm sorry. But it's the truth."

Andy thought for an instant before speaking again.

"Prue, you have me. I don't understand how you kissed someone who reminded you of me when you have me. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I thought you knew that. Why did you need him when I'm right here?" Andy said, genuinely wanting an answer.

"Honestly, Andy," Prue started, "I don't know. What I do know is that I love you. I've never loved anyone else the way I love you Andy. Nothing's every going to change that."

Andy stared at Prue for a while before kissing her swiftly. Prue, not expecting this, was tense for a second but loosened up quickly.

In the attic, Piper, Leo, Cole, Phoebe, and Bane were theorizing ways to defeat Barbas.

"Cole hurt him pretty badly," Phoebe observed.

"The Power of Four should be more than enough to vanquish him," she continued, "I mean, we killed the Source. Barbas is just a demon."

"Not necessarily Phoebe," Leo spoke knowingly, "Barbas knows you all too well. He's come up against you so many times. That knowledge makes him more of a danger to you than just about any other demon you've ever faced," he continued, speaking to Pam, Piper and Phoebe.

Pam stayed quite, still shaken from the fears that Barbas had used against her. She stared at the open air, hardly listening to what anyone was saying.

"Whatever we do we have to make a decision now," Cole declared.

"We should summon him," Piper noted, "he'll definitely be caught off guard."

Leo nodded, but he still looked worried.

"We have to act quickly," he said, "it won't take him long to regroup."

Piper went to go get crystals for a cage to contain Barbas and Phoebe got a pen and paper to begin writing a vanquishing spell.

Leo and Cole went to their respective women to try and help any way they could.

Pam snapped back to reality when she realized just about everyone had left from around her. She looked up and saw Bane staring at her.

"What was it?" He asked simply.

"What?" Pam asked abruptly and bit defensively.

"What fear did he bring out?" Bane elaborated. "I worked with the guy for a while Pam. I recognize the shell shock of his victims. What was it?" he asked again.

Pam just looked at him vacantly for a second before answering. She knew she didn't have to answer, but decided to anyway.

"It was that I would kill all my sisters out of vengeance," Pam said shakily. She saw Bane's confused face and tried to explain. "They're my half sisters. We had the same father but different mothers. Barbas made their mom kill mine years ago."

Bane nodded, and then indicated for Pam to continue.

"I always thought my greatest fear would be to loose them, but obviously I was wrong," Pam continued, eyes reddening.

"It just made me wonder if I...I could really do something like that. Growing up I was always jealous that they got to live without the pain I did. Maybe that jealousy could turn into something more. He made me think that maybe I'm evil or maybe…" she stopped, remembering who she was talking to.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get like this. This isn't your problem." Pam caught herself.

"No, it's okay," Bane said quickly, "I don't mind."

Pam smiled at Bane's kindness before speaking again.

"Could you do me a favor?" She asked Bane. After he nodded, she continued. "Could you not tell my sisters?"

"No problem," Bane said simply.

At that moment Prue and Andy came up the stairs, both silent but obviously not upset.

Everyone turned their heads to see the couple walk through the door. As soon as Bane saw them he pretended to be terribly interested in the pages of the Book.

Piper looked surprised at the fact that neither of the two looked upset, as she had guessed that Andy had heard them talking earlier.

"What's the situation?" Prue asked, wanting to vanquish Barbas for once and for all.

"Cole hurt him bad enough that he retreated," Leo answered.

"So we think if we summon him now and vanquish him with a power of four spell we can get rid of him for good," Piper continued.

"Do we have a spell?" Prue asked.

"Right here," Phoebe answered, holding up two pieces of paper. One was a summoning spell, the other a vanquishing spell.

"Well you should do it now. I'm sure he knows what you're doing," Andy spoke.

Bane looked up and at Andy, not thinking he was going to speak.

The girls looked over the spells, memorizing them quickly.

Piper placed the crystals in a square on the attic floor and then formed a circle with her sisters.

_From fear to eternity_

_Through death and strife_

_This demon's cold steps _

_Will cut you like a knife_

_The fear you will bring_

_Causes death and suffering_

_We bring you here_

_Us sisters four_

_You will not haunt us_

_Anymore_

A/N: Little bit of a cliffie, I know. There's been a lot of that lately. Don't worry; I'll add more Piper/Leo-ness. Question: We're getting close to 20 chapters, do you want me to end it there like Her Destiny, or keep it going? Let me know in an e-mail or review, I would really appreciate it.


	15. Unloved

Chapter 15: Unloved

Disclaimer: Let's make it simple. Shando come back; I own Charmed.

A/N: Everyone knows Bane and Prue slept together back in season two right? Just wanted to make that clear to anyone who wasn't sure about it. Hope you enjoy. Please review.

Barbas appeared in the center of his square cage. He was hunched over, obviously not recovered from his run-ins with Prue or Cole.

"Witches," he spat, realizing his surroundings, "so you're going to vanquish me are you? The Charmed Ones all grown up. How sweet. Sorry to crush all you're little hopes and dreams, but I'm not going away that easily."

Barbas waved a hand and the bell clerk as well as many other demons appeared in the Halliwell's attic.

"I'll fend them off---start the spell!" Cole cried as he began battle with three demons.

Leo, Andy, and Bane joined the fight, helping in any way they could.

Bane grabbed an athamae from the potion's table while Leo strategically orbed out of the way of energy and fire balls so that they hit other demons instead of him. Andy simply fought hand-to-hand with the demons, occasionally taking their own weapons and using them against the demon at hand.

The four sisters joined hands to start to recite the spell. A demon came at Prue and she instinctively waved an arm at it. But before she could send the demon flying, another demon came at her from behind and grabbed her from around the neck. Prue let out a gasp and upon hearing this, both Bane and Andy ran to help her.

Andy held an athamae from a demon he had just vanquished and stabbed the demon that had first came at Prue. He backed off and covered his face quickly to protect himself from the flames that emanated from the demon's vanquish. Bane was fighting the other demon, trying his best to defeat him.

Seeing that Bane was obviously loosing the fight, Andy started to make his way over to Bane to help him. He then stopped in his tracks, imagining Bane and Prue together. He stared hard at Bane getting beaten to a bloody pulp, almost enjoying it.

Piper realized that Andy wasn't moving and she flicked her wrists. The demon vanished into oblivion and Andy broke free from his trance. He shook his head a little and looked up to see Piper looking at him. She looked admonishing and horrified, but at the same time understanding. Andy looked away from her quickly, hoping no one else saw what he had done. Or what he hadn't done for that matter. He looked around and saw only Bane, dabbing the blood from one of the wounds on his head and giving Andy a look of uncertainty.

Andy looked away from this, as he heard the girls starting their spell.

_Heart to heart_

_Blood to blood_

_Pain and fear_

_Cannot be undone_

_We remove you from this sacred earth_

_This place of blessing, hope, and birth_

_The pain you send_

_The truth you bend_

_Made nightmares that won't ever end_

_We take you now_

_With Four's Grace_

_Death falls upon your wicked face_

Barbas began screaming erratically, his body flashing from skin to flesh to bone. Before beginning to burn away, he shouted one last thing.

"Don't worry, ladies…." he began, "Fear ALWAYS comes back!"

He cackled madly while deteriorating. He began to dissipate until he burned into ash, leaving the carpet covered with a foot-high pile of his remains. The crystal cage lowered, and the four crystals lay harmless on the floor.

All four sisters fell to the ground, as the spell had taken almost more than they had.

Cole ran to Phoebe, Leo ran to Piper, and both Andy and Bane ran to Prue.

Nearly bumping into each other in the process, both realized what was going on.

Begrudgingly, Bane pretended that he was going for Pam the whole time.

"Honey are you okay?" Leo said frantically.

Piper looked up at him and smiled.

"Leo," she said weakly, "I want a baby."

Leo looked stunned by this proposition, and everyone looked over to him and Piper.

He straightened his face and smiled back at Piper.

"I know," he said simply.

Piper smiled once more before falling into Leo's arms.

"Are they going to be okay?" Andy asked Leo.

"Yeah," he answered, "that spell just took a lot out of them, that's all. A good rest is all they need."

Leo carried Piper to their room as Cole, Andy, and Bane followed suit. Based on where everyone else was going, Bane guessed where Pam's room was. He laid Pam down on a double mattress on the floor and she opened her eyes slightly.

"Did we get him?" she said in the same weak voice Piper had exhibited earlier.

"Yeah," Bane said softly, and she pushed a strand of loose hair back on Pam's face, "you did great."

She smiled and closed her eyes. Bane smiled back at her before leaving the room. He closed the door behind him and walked down the hall to meet the other men in the house. They looked at him a bit oddly, none of them knowing what to say.

"Do you think that maybe I could sleep here tonight?" Bane asked earnestly.

After a quick silence, Leo took it upon himself to make answer.

"I'll, uh, make up the couch," Leo said hastily. Even if he didn't exactly trust him, he knew Prue wouldn't like it if he sent Bane out into the city without her knowing where he was.

"I'll help," Cole said quickly, not wanting to have to make small talk with two people he hardly knew.

Leo and Cole left Andy and Bane standing there in an awkward silence. Bane looked as if he were going to say something to Andy, as he had figured that somehow Andy knew about him and Prue. But Andy beat him to it.

"She doesn't love you," he said quietly but gruffly to Bane, "touch her, and you'll wish I stayed dead."

Bane waited for both Andy and Cole to leave him before saying anything.

"I already do," he said to himself as he stood there, unwanted, and apparently, unloved.

A/N: Aww, you almost feel bad for the guy, don't you? Maybe not. Please review.


	16. Promise

Chapter 16: Promise

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Charmed. And Ch Rose's blood red lipstick accents her pale skin very nicely.

A/N: All I have to say is please review.

Prue woke slowly in the morning bearing a very painful headache from the pervious night's events. She rose, realizing that she was sleeping on a bare mattress with only a sheet over her, as her bed hadn't been put in yet. She looked next to her to see Andy, sleeping on the floor using his jacket as a pillow. She smiled at how cute he looked all balled up on the floor.

She began to get off the mattress and Andy started to stir. He woke with a smile on his face.

"Good morning," he said happily.

"Hey," Prue said, happy as well. A mock frown played across her face as she spoke again.

"Why are you sleeping on the floor?" Prue asked, almost laughing. "This is a king-sized mattress Andy, there's plenty of space."

"I didn't know if you wanted me to," Andy said bluntly, sounding like he was still hurting.

Prue furrowed her brow, knowing Andy still hadn't forgiven her completely. She went over to him and hugged him tightly.

"I'll always want you," she said honestly, "no one else. I promise."

Although Andy didn't fully believe Prue, he kissed her and then took her hands as they rose from the floor. Prue leaned on Andy's shoulder as they made their way down to the kitchen.

They passed through the living room on their way and saw Bane on the couch.

"He slept here?" Prue said, slightly puzzled.

"Uh, yeah," Andy said uncomfortably, "Leo made the couch up for him."

Prue saw how much pain was evident on Andy's face and began to pull him away from the room.

The two entered the kitchen and saw Leo sitting at the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. Leo watched while Piper pulled muffins out of the oven. He greeted the two as they joined him at the marble counter.

"How're you feeling?" Leo said in a concerned manner as Prue sat down next to him.

"Good," she said assuredly, "in fact," she added, "I'm wonderful."

Leo looked happy that Prue was happy and Prue smirked before she spoke again.

"Now if I'm not mistaken," Prue continued as Piper sat down on the other side of Leo, "last night someone mentioned something about…what was it," Prue grinned as she pretended to search for the right word, "a baby."

Leo gave a wide smile as Piper tried and failed to suppress a wicked grin.

"Yes," Piper started, "I did. And I meant it. Last night made me realize that we all take things for granted. I could've died. We all could've. I don't want to leave this earth without having had brought someone into this world," Piper finished, taking Leo's hand.

Just then Bane entered the kitchen, still sporting wounds from his fight the night before. He kept his head down as to not make eye contact with Prue or Andy. He didn't raise his head until he came to Piper and Leo.

"Thanks," he said almost vaguely, like he wasn't talking to someone right in front of him, "I appreciate you letting me stay here. I'll, uh, be leaving now. Once I walk out that door none of you will have to see me ever again."

Piper looked for a second as if her motherly nature was going to come out, but the facts of what Prue had done with him clouded her better judgment as she simply sat there.

At Bane's last words Pam came into the kitchen.

"You're not going anywhere," she said firmly.

Everyone turned and looked at Pam with surprised expressions.

"You've risked your life to be here. You fought to save us. To save me. We can't just let you walk out of here with no real place to go. I know the situation is a bit strained," Pam said as she looked quickly at Prue and Andy as they moved a bit uncomfortably in their chairs, "but we all made promises a long time ago to protect the innocent under all costs. I don't care how we work it out, but he stays," she said, final.

She left the room as the remaining five people in it seemed frozen as they had no idea what to say.

After a long silence, Piper was the first to speak.

"So…." She started. "What does everyone want for breakfast?"

Phoebe began to wake as the sun shone brightly on her eyes. She felt next to her for Cole, creasing her forehead when she realized no one was there.

She opened eyes completely and looked around the room for him. She saw him in a chair off in the corner. He was holding his head with both hands and seemed like he was mumbling something angrily.

"What are you doing Cole?" Phoebe asked quizzically.

He looked up, startled that Phoebe was talking to him.

"What? Oh, nothing, I, uh, was just um….having a bad dream," he said in a muffled tone, "I'm gonna go get some breakfast," he added, walking out of the room, still in the clothes he had worn to bed.

Phoebe knew Cole was obviously lying to her based on the fact that he hadn't even been sleeping in the chair. But she sat there, not wanting to accuse him of anything before she knew more of what was happening.

Cole left Phoebe sitting there on her mattress and mumbled something under his breathe while walking down the hall.

"No mommy, don't get mad. I'll get her. I promise."

A/N: Didn't except that from Pam, huh? Well it's my job to keep you on your toes. Please review.


	17. It's Not Time Yet

Chapter 17: It's Not Time Yet

Disclaimer: The season 7 finale ruined seven years of good episodes. If I did own that BS I would kill myself.

A/N: Hope you enjoy. Please review.

Cole came down into the kitchen and everyone turned to see him come in. He kept his head down seemed to still be mumbling something to himself. He sat down at the kitchen table, away from everyone else.

Prue got up from her seat at the counter and Cole jumped at the screech of the wooden stool. He looked up as if he had just realized where he was.

"Hey," he said to everyone as they stared at him with confused expressions on their faces.

"What's for breakfast?" he asked innocently.

"Eggs, pancakes, rolls, bacon, vegetarian grillers for Phoebe, cantaloupe, muffins, and hash browns," Piper answered.

Cole looked a bit overwhelmed by all the food Piper had listed, and she felt she should say something as an answer to Cole's unspoken question.

"Just thought I should make a feast type thing," she said hurriedly, "I mean we vanquished Barbas. He's finally gone and I think that's a cause to celebrate," she finished.

Cole nodded his head and smiled a bit, seemingly a completely different person than the one that had walked come into the kitchen not moments ago.

"When do we get to eat?" Leo prodded, sounding like a small child. He reached for a roll and Piper smacked his hand away.

"It's not time yet," Piper said in an admonishing tone, "We're waiting for Phoebe."

"Is she even up yet?" Prue asked Cole.

"Uh, yeah. You know her she's probably primping herself in the mirror," he said laughing slightly uncomfortably.

"Well I don't know about you guys but I'm starving," Prue continued and Leo gave a nod to comply, "so I'm gonna go tell her to get down here," she finished.

Prue walked out of the kitchen and up to Phoebe's room. She knocked on the door and came in when Phoebe didn't give an answer.

Phoebe was on her mattress, fully dressed and brushing her hair absentmindedly. Prue furrowed her brow and spoke softly as not to startle Phoebe.

"Hey," she said, making her way completely into the room, "breakfast is ready. Piper made a big feast and we're all waiting for you."

Despite the fact that Prue was nearly whispering, Phoebe still gave a start at Prue's words.

"What?" She said on instinct before realizing that she had heard what Prue had said. "Oh. Sorry, I'll be down in a second," Phoebe continued.

A concerned look played across Prue's face. She began to say something to Phoebe to make sure she was okay when Phoebe spoke first.

"I'm okay," Phoebe said a bit forcefully.

Prue looked surprised at Phoebe's correct anticipation of her words.

"Phoebe, I know you too well," Prue said in a sisterly tone, "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Phoebe thought for a second before answering Prue's initial question.

"It's probably nothing," she started, "but this morning when I woke up Cole was sitting in the corner mumbling something to himself. He didn't seem like himself at all—he seemed lost somehow. Only when I asked him about it he seemed to be the same old Cole. He told me he was having a bad dream, but I know it was something else. It's probably nothing, it just—wasn't normal, you know?"

"I think we've all learned that it's never nothing," Prue said as her look of concern deepened, "he was acting the same way when he came down for breakfast. But as soon as we started talking to him, he was normal again. What do think it could be?" She asked of her younger sister.

"I have no idea," Phoebe same looking helpless, "that's what scares me. He's never acted this way before. I don't know what it could be."

"Don't worry," Prue said as she hugged Phoebe, "it's not time to worry yet. We'll figure it out."

The two made their way down the stairs and into the dining room where the remaining Halliwells, Cole, Andy, Leo and Bane were sitting, ready to eat.

"What took you so long?" Cole said to Prue and Phoebe, laughing playfully.

Phoebe smiled back at him and sat down in the chair beside him.

"Just," Phoebe started as she snuck a glance at Prue, "girl stuff. You wouldn't be interested."

"Cant we eat now?" Leo pleaded to Piper.

"Yes, we can eat," she answered as she passed the basket of rolls to Leo.

Prue sat down next to Andy and Bane looked a little hurt. But he soon shook it off and turned to Pam.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked genuinely. "Did you have any nightmares? I know sometimes after Barbas…"

"Good," Pam said quickly, not wanting to bring up the subject, "I slept really well."

"How about you?" Pam asked back.

"Good considering," Bane said cracking his back slightly, "it's the best sleep I've ever had on a couch," he said as he laughed slightly.

Just then Cole began to mumble as he had earlier that day. He got louder with every word until he jumped from the table, knocking his chair back.

"No! Please! It's not time yet!" he screamed, seemingly to the floor.

He grabbed Phoebe by the neck and shimmered out, leaving everyone staring, not even blinking.

A/N: Please review.


	18. Forgive

Chapter 18: Forgive

Disclaimer: A wise person once said, "Paige, life's not a garden so stop being a ho." Almost makes me wish I did own Charmed.

A/N: Wow. I just realized something. I never explained how all of this was real. Like how Bane and everything that happened with him was real and how Prue said that Cole was a demonic killer, meaning he had the past from the T.V plotline and not mine. Sorry about that. Okay, here's the explanation. When Pam came down from the Elders, she expected that her and her sisters would serve their duties as the Charmed Ones while her younger siblings still doubled as the actresses that the world knew them as. But to avoid foreseen complications, the Elders decided to alter the world as it was like they did for Paige when she first found out who she really was. So then everything that was their reality changed to Charmed reality. With this, they received the real memories of what they had acted on the show, and all of the actors that had taken part in those episodes became their characters as well. Cole, however, is still the full demon he was in Her Destiny; his past as far as where he came from remained the same. The girls still remember what happened in the other reality—such as being actresses and living with the families they grew up with; even Jackie and Patty. I know this is kind of a lot to leave out of the actual story, but it was really just what happened between Her Destiny and Things of the Past---like filler information. So sorry if this has confused anyone, please ask questions if you need to and review to let me know what you think.

Everyone sat still for a second, having no idea what to do. Finally, being too freaked out to stay quite any longer, Bane spoke up.

"What the hell was that?" He said as he too jumped from his chair.

"Just stay calm," Pam said as she rose to meet Bane. She put his hand on his shoulder and faced the group sitting at the table.

"What was he talking about?" Prue spoke, "It's not time for what?"

"I have no idea," Piper said thoughtfully, "But he didn't sound like himself," she noted.

"Or act like himself," Leo added, "Cole would never hurt Phoebe."

"He sure looked like he would," Andy stated. He didn't know Cole at all but if he would hurt Phoebe, Cole wasn't someone he was going to jump to defend.

"He was acting like that earlier," Pam remembered, "When he first came into the kitchen. He was mumbling to himself one second, and the next he was fine again."

"Phoebe told me that he was acting like that earlier," Prue said, "She said that Cole was mumbling to himself in a chair when she woke up, but the second she spoke to him he was normal again. She asked him what was wrong but he just said he was having a bad dream."

Pam and Piper looked sharply at Prue keeping this bit of information from them. Pam recovered from the moment quickly, figuring that Prue must have had a good reason for withholding the news of the conversation between her and Phoebe. Piper, however, still angry over what Prue had done with Bane, held onto her irritation.

"And you're waiting until just now to tell us this?" She said with annoyance prevalent in her tone.

Prue looked surprised at the harshness in Piper's voice, but decided to wait until later to try to make things better with her sister.

"She wasn't sure what was happening," Prue said a little guardedly, "I wasn't sure if it was really anything to be concerned about."

"Well obviously you thought wrong," Piper shot at her, "Now Phoebe's life is in danger and we have no idea what to make of any of this. Nice job Prue."

As Piper finished she stormed out of the dining room, leaving everyone stunned at the way she had gotten angry at Prue over a mistake anyone could've made. Only Andy, Prue, and Bane knew why she had really acted the way she did.

"I've never heard her talk like that before," Leo said as he made to follow after his angered wife.

"No, let me," Andy said as he stopped Leo from going.

"But…." Leo began, not understanding how Andy was planning to remedy the situation.

"It's okay," Andy said as he picked up on Leo's confusion, "I'll be back in a second."

Andy left the room after Piper, leaving Leo and Pam in bewilderment.

Andy entered the sunroom to find Piper sitting hunched over with her head in her hands.

"I know why you're upset," Andy said quietly. Piper looked up at him, unsure of what to say. He should be the one enraged at Prue, yet she was the one who was running out on her. She felt a pang of guilt as Andy sat next to her and took her hand.

"You don't have to be mad at her," he continued. "She knows what she did was wrong. She's sorry."

"She's sorry?" Piper almost yelled, "And what, you're saying she shouldn't be? I'm sorry Andy but I just don't think she can come back from this. Not in my eyes. She's supposed to be the one who takes care of things---the level-headed one. Now she goes and does something like this? How can I forgive her for that?" she finished wearily.

"You can always forgive people," Andy said knowingly, "Everyone makes mistakes. Believe me I was mad at her too---part of me will always be angry with her. But I know that she loves me and that's all I care about"

"I know she loves you Andy—that's what's so upsetting about this. I know she's in love with you and I can't for the life of me figure out why she…" Piper trailed off, not even wanting to say what Prue had done. She sighed heavily before speaking once more. "..It just doesn't make any sense."

"I know it doesn't," Andy said, still confused himself as to why Prue would kiss Bane, "But once you think about it, I did kind of ambush her. I've been gone for six years Piper. Then the second she finds someone else I come back to split them apart. I couldn't expect her feelings for Bane to just….dissipate. Half of me was waiting for this to happen. Just waiting."

"I don't know how you do it Andy," Piper said as she smiled. "You must really love that big sister of mine."

"Must be," Andy replied as he too smiled. Andy and Piper hugged quickly and they both returned to the dining room to find Prue scrying for Phoebe with the fork she had used for breakfast and Pam, Bane, and Leo contemplating possible things that could be wrong with Cole.

"He may have been possessed," Pam spoke reasonably.

"No," Leo said quietly as he shook his head, "A demon of his strength would expel any spirit that would posses him. His spirit would be too strong for any other essence to occupy his body."

"Well he said he had a bad dream," Bane began, "Maybe he actually did. Maybe something's haunting him through sleep."

Leo looked at Bane, surprised he came to such a probable conclusion. Pam saw the look and raised her eyebrows at him to wipe it off his face. Leo noted this and did so quickly.

"That makes sense," Leo said as he tried to catch himself, "I should go check with the Elders though, see what they know."

He was about to orb off when he saw Piper enter the room. Concern spread across his face as he made his way over to his wife.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked as soon as he got to her.

"I'm fine," she answered, noticing that Prue had stopped scrying to hear her reply.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Leo continued genuinely.

"No, that's okay," Piper reassured him, "Andy took care of everything."

Leo looked at Andy with a grateful expression on his face and led Piper over to the table to fill her in on what they'd come up with.

"Bane suggested that Cole might have been haunted in his dreams by a spirit of some sort," Pam said, smiling at Bane as she said this.

"I'm going to check on the Elders to see if they have any information on dream hauntings," Leo filled in.

"And I'm scrying for Phoebe's location," Prue said quietly and a bit sheepishly. Frankly, completely un-Prue like. In fact, she sounded more like Piper than Piper had all day.

Piper nodded as Leo orbed off to the Elders. Piper looked over at Prue at she heard the crystal hit the map.

"Got her," Prue said, her tone more like her own now.

"I'll drive," Pam offered as the group headed out the door.

Piper hung back for a second and motioned for Prue to do the same. In a moment the two were left alone in the foyer of the Manor.

"I forgive you Prue," Piper said truthfully, "Just, please," she continued, "Don't make me regret it."

Piper walked out of the Manor and left Prue standing there, not sure if she should be happy or sad at Piper's words.

'Well at least she forgives me,' Prue thought as she followed her sister out of the house, 'That's gonna have to do for now.'

A/N: Hope you liked it. Based on what people said from the reviews, I'll keep this going after 20 chapters. But I might stop it soon after if I don't get any reviews, I'm getting the feeling that no one is reading this besides a few choice people. You know who you are.


	19. She's Here

Chapter 19: She's Here

Disclaimer: I'll own Charmed the day that Alyssa Milano gets married, has a kid, and stays that way.

A/N: Okay guys, I'm going back to that Ivy League College summer thing. If you read Her Destiny you'll remember I discussed it in chapters 5 and 13. What does this have to do with the story, you ask? Well it means that I won't be able to update until I get back—meaning a total of three weeks. I might get to write ahead and update with the chapters that I've already uploaded, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to. So if that doesn't happen, no updates until August 6th at least. So I hope the story's worth waiting for. And so with no further adieu, on with the fic.

Phoebe opened her eyes slowly due to the splitting headache that she seemed to have acquired. She gave a look at her surroundings, seeing that she was being held captive in a cage in what appeared to be an underground cave. She blinked for a second, trying to remember how she may have ended up where she was.

She remembered waking up, then talking to Cole. He seemed odd. Then she talked to Prue---they went down to breakfast. She had eaten a little before something happened. Cole. He had been yelling----manically. He said something about it not being time yet. Then he grabbed her—shimmered her here. They were greeted by a woman. He called her mommy.

"Mommy?" She asked herself under her breathe as she furrowed her brow with confusion.

Then what happened? The woman threw an energy ball at her. She dodged it. She made to hit the woman back—she levitated to spin-kick her. Cole stopped her. The woman told Cole to prove himself to her---to make her proud. Then Cole; he….no he couldn't of. Cole had knocked her out.

Phoebe rose from the ground unhurriedly and looked around her cautiously to make sure there was no one near her. She crept to the edge of the cage and held the bars.

"Cole?" She whispered. "Cole?" Phoebe repeated, a bit louder this time. "Can you hear me? Cole?"

Cole shimmered in behind Phoebe without her noticing and came up behind her.

"Phoebe," he started. She jumped and gave a yelp of surprise as she turned to face him.

"Ssshh," Cole insisted as he silenced her and grabbed her shoulders, "She'll hear you. Do you want to get us killed?"

"Killed?" Phoebe solicited, "Who's 'she'? Where are we?" Phoebe said all too loudly.

Cole looked as if he were about to say something when he stopped to listen around him. Cole put a finger up to his mouth to silence Phoebe, but she was determined to get answers.

"Cole," Phoebe said; agitated, "Answer me!"

"You have to stay quiet!" Cole barked as he shook Phoebe violently. "There's not much time to explain. Look," He began, "It's my mother who brought us here. She used some type of mind control to get me to take you. She's been whispering to me all day, telling me to take you. She told me I wouldn't have to do it until later, but she changed her mind. She made me take you today."

"Your mother?" Phoebe questioned, "Mind control?" She continued, "How long has this been going on? And what does she want with me?"

"Just today," Cole said roughly, "She wants to lure your sisters. She thinks killing you will help bring both of us to power."

"Well that's original," Phoebe quipped as she rolled her eyes. "But Cole—there's just one thing," she continued, "Your mother's dead. She was vanquished along with your father when you were young," Phoebe remembered.

"That's what she wanted the world to think," Cole explained, agitated that he had to explain this to her. "My parents and another demon were being pursued by a group of powerful witches—my mother knew they wouldn't be able to get out of it so she killed my father and the other demon then glamoured into the other demon's appearance so that the witches would think that the other scorch mark belonged to her. Then she went into hiding. She knew that leaving risked me not receiving my powers, but she thought that someday she'd have the opportunity to turn me into the demon she says I should be."

"Cole how do you know all this?" Phoebe asked as she took the information in.

"Because she told me!" He yelled, now more than annoyed at Phoebe for asking so many questions.

"Oh no," He started, his voice quieting down a considerable amount, "Oh no," he repeated as his hands shot to the sides of his head and moved away from Phoebe.

"'Oh no' what Cole?" Phoebe said as she rushed over to him. "What's happening?"

"Oh no!" He started to scream again. "No!"

"Cole!" Phoebe yelled as well, "What's wrong? What's the matter?"

"She coming," he almost cried, "She's coming."

"Your mother's coming?" Phoebe asked; wary and scared, "Your mother's coming----here? Now?"

Cole fell to the ground and moved up against the end of the cage.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. Please don't hurt me. Please."

Cole was now beside himself with psychosis as he broke into full-fledged tears.

"I won't do it again. I promise, I won't do it again. Please," He whispered almost to himself.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Cole whispered. "Please. Please. Please."

"Do what Cole?" Phoebe asked as she tried to comfort him. "What doesn't she want you to do?" She then gave up on trying to get information from him and just tried to calm him down.

"Don't worry," she comforted, "She's not going to hurt you. I won't let her. I'll stop her for you. I promise she's not going to touch you."

"Is that so?" a voice said from behind the two.

Cole looked up for a second then buried his head in his knees at the sight of who it was.

"She's here," he cried, "She's here. She's here."

Phoebe's eyes widened as she rose from the cold stone ground.

"I'd like to see you try."

A/N: I know it was a bit of a filler chapter and there was a lot of questioning and repetition. Sorry about that. I just wanted to emphasize Cole's distraught manner and how his mother has made him retrogress into childlike state of neurosis.


	20. A Name

Chapter 20: A Name

Disclaimer: I'll own Charmed the day that a bunch of 50 something year old male producers stop being afraid of a 34-year-old female actress.

A/N: Hey, sorry it took so long to update. I'm back from that school thing. Also, I have a new story up called Pride, Patience, Perceptibility, and Pain if you haven't seen it yet, it's a joint fic with another author named Jazzymon05. Hope you didn't have to wait too long. I want to answer some of your reviews but I've been told that's strictly forbidden. So with no further adieu, ON WITH THE FIC!

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Piper breathed as she followed behind Pam and Prue.

"This is where the crystal landed," Prue answered as her and her two sisters moved along the wall.

"Maybe we should go back out to the car with Andy and Bane," Pam started, "I mean, it's Bane's idea that got us here, maybe he knows more about this than we do."

"Bane?" Prue questioned, more haughtily than she had meant to, "I don't think asking him will help anything."

"Well fine then," Pam glowered; thinking Prue's unwillingness to try to get more information off Bane was strictly due to Prue's need to prove something to Piper, "We could at least go to Leo. We've been walking around in circles for half an hour."

"Leo will orb in if he's found anything, remember?" Prue shot back, "Besides, what are you afraid of?" She added, more out of annoyance for being the only sister willing to keep going than out of genuine curiosity.

"Nothing," Pam said defensively, "I just think we should try to scry again. You know, just to make sure we have the right place. You were a little distracted. Maybe…."

"Maybe what?" Prue said loudly, rounding on both her sisters. "I didn't scry wrong; we _are_ in the right place." She said icily.

Piper gave a slight eye roll and upon seeing this, Prue cocked her head to the side as if to ask Piper what more she wanted from her. Piper simply walked around Prue and Pam, continuing down the jagged rock wall.

Phoebe stared in utter disbelief at the woman standing before her.

"What, are you going to stand there all day and gawk?" the woman asked with condescension dripping from her tone.

"I----I," Phoebe stammered.

"You what?" she said as she stopped Phoebe form talking, "You're going to try and stop me? Well I hate to burst your moronic little bubble, but your sisters are already here to '_save_' you."

Cole's mother snapped her fingers and the two of them flashed into another room, away from familiarity, away from Cole, and away from hope.

Phoebe's eyes widened as her heart fell at the thought of Cole's mother's plans falling neatly in to place.

'No,' she thought to herself, 'This can't be happening.'

"I don't believe you," Phoebe spoke bravely, "If my sisters are here then why haven't they come yet?"

"Oh you're a clever one aren't you?" Cole's mother taunted, "Maybe my Cole didn't make a mistake in choosing you."

Phoebe raised and eyebrow at this, looking unmistakably offended. Whether Cole's mother recognized this or not, she continued what she was saying without acknowledging it.

"I've cloaked our location, Phoebe dear," she said, "They won't find us until I want us to be found. Until I've made something terribly clear to you."

"And what's th…" Phoebe began flippantly, but was cut off immediately.

"You can't win," Cole's mother spoke powerfully, hushing Phoebe and taking away any arrogance she might have been holding on to.

"I will bring myself and my son to Power. If I am to fail, a spell is already in place. That spell will instantly kill Cole at the exact moment of my vanquish. So you see, there's nothing you can do to win. It's the old kill or be killed; except I have the distinct impression that even if you kill me you won't be able to live with yourself."

Phoebe involuntarily took in a large gasp of shock as she staggered backward a bit.

"You wouldn't," she chocked out with much more confidence than she felt.

"Oh I would," Cole's mother spoke, smiling widely, on the verge of laughing at Phoebe's reaction.

"He's your son!" Phoebe yelled, not even meaning to.

The smile wiped abruptly from Cole's mother's face and a look fit to kill took its place.

"Correction, _Phoebe_," she spoke Phoebe's name like it was something you would find in a deserted alley, "He's a demon. As am I. Once you begin to understand that, you may start to understand other things, such as why witches and demons do not fraternize. As well as why a mother would take her son with her in death rather than leave him around to be ruined by the likes of you."

She turned her back on Phoebe, seeming to have said more than she planned to. Phoebe took the moment of weakness and tried to rush at her. Cole's mother held up a hand at Phoebe and turned around slowly. Phoebe froze, suspended many feet in the air.

"You don't know my name, do you?" Cole's mother said with a look of mild curiosity on her face.

Phoebe furrowed her brow, wanting to speak but finding that her windpipe was being held tightly by an unseen force.

"No, of course you don't" she said, answering her own question, talking to herself more than Phoebe. "A name holds a lot of power, you know." She continued, turning her back once more and letting Phoebe drop to the ground-----hard.

"I'm sure you don't know it, but your own name means that of a goddess. A goddess of the moon in particular. A name can reflect so many qualities in a person. Sometimes a name is nothing more than just that. You, for instance, are nothing close to the goddess in which your name describes."

Phoebe tried to choke out a declaration of indignation at the comment, but Cole's mother stopped her before she could say anything.

"I'm _not_ finished," she said as she turned to face Phoebe and reapplied the force on her throat.

"Besides, anything you would've said would only have proved my point," she continued, "What I want you to know is, a name can hold someone's innermost being. It can hold their greatest weakness. Even a demon cannot break the bonds of what has already been done. But a name can. But you don't know my name, Phoebe," Cole's mother said as she mocked her knowledge over Phoebe's, "You hold no Power over me. And never as long as I live, you live, and your dear sisters live will you _ever_ hold anything over me. When you understand that, you stupid, pathetic child, you might not find what's about to happen so hard to let come to pass."

Phoebe's head swam with all the information Cole's mother had juts fed to her. '_Even a demon cannot break the bonds of what has already been done. But a name can_.' Phoebe had a feeling that Cole's mother had just let slip much more than she had planned to. '_A name can._'

Cole's mother used the hand that she wasn't currently using to magically choke Phoebe and waved it toward the wall at their left. The wall itself disappeared and revealed a narrow hallway.

Footsteps as well as the short, whispered voices of Pam, Prue, and Piper could be heard echoing from the hallway, getting closer by the second.

"Pam, Prue! Go back, it's a trap!" Phoebe tried to yell, but found she could only mouth.

"Oh, they're coming," Cole's mother said with utter glee.

"This is going to be fun."

A/N: Wow. My goodness that was an odd chapter. I'm so sorry if you were confused by it. It's totally okay if you were, because I certainly was. Oooh and boy was it annoying not being able to say the woman's name and having to put 'she' and 'Cole's mother' everywhere. That must have been utterly trite for you all to read as well. I apologize sincerely. I also apologize for the lateness of the chapter. I'm just completely out of it right now. I haven't read or written fanfiction for a while now, so please FEEL FREE to tell me if this sucked. Like, a lot. Don't worry, I'll be strong. Say whatever you want to. I'll have the next chapter up MUCH sooner. And with that, please review and I hope the chapter wasn't too bad.


	21. Reign

Chapter 21: Reign

Disclaimer: I'll own Charmed the day that Shannen Doherty gives the paparazzi an agenda of her daily activities.

A/N: Okay, so just about no one reviewed the last chapter. (Thank you so much to the people who did, including fanmania. I'm forever grateful.) Understandable, don't get me wrong. After a fic hasn't been updated for a while people stop checking it, it's not like it's uncommon. But just to let everyone know, the Things of the Past train is back up and running. So go and tell all your friends kiddies! Lily needs a new pair of shoes and reviews are just what can buy those shoes, dearies! By the way, any guesses on what Cole's mother's name is? Let's have a contest to see who can get the closest. Whoever wins get an, uhh…..cyber hug?

"What the hell d'ya think's taking them so long?" Bane asked as he squirmed a bit uncomfortably in his seat.

This was the first thing to be said in over 20 minutes. Andy and Bane both resented the girls for leaving them alone together, thinking that they'd rather be anyplace than in the driver and passenger seats of Prue's Beamer sitting across from each other at this very moment. Or any moment for that matter.

They sat outside a deserted lot on the outskirts of town—far from anywhere that would even be considered a remotely safe place to be at any time. There were rocky cliffs encasing the landscape and dust billowing every which way. Just by the looks of things, both men would swear that they were in New Mexico.

Andy eyed Bane disdainfully; having much rather liked it if Bane would've stayed quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was carry on a conversation with the one man he couldn't trust Prue with, but the same worry that Bane was holding on to resided in his mind as well.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Andy said a bit warily, "I think we should go in and look for them."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Bane asked skeptically, "In case you've forgotten, we're kind of powerless here, Andy. I mean, what are we gonna do? Jump in there and just start swinging? Besides, the girls asked us to stay here. And I trust their judgment."

"What, are you trying to say I don't?" Andy said, rounding on the face he'd so desperately been wanting to hit for a good time going now, "All I'm saying is, not even the girls are infallible. They were in a bit of a rush when they scryed for the place----maybe they're just walking around in circles. Or maybe worse. I don't know about you but I'm not going to just wait idly by while they could be seriously hurt."

"All right man," Bane said, raising his hands in defeat and shrugging a little, "Do what you want. But if Prue—"

"Don't say her name!" Andy warned, "You don't get to say her name!" He screamed; his eyes lit with a fury unlike any other he had ever felt before.

He had his eyes borne steely into Bane's, had a heart that was too hurt for reminders of how close it had come to breaking only days ago. No matter how much he could psychoanalyze the situation to make Piper feel better, or hell, even lie to himself and say that he wasn't mad at Prue, he couldn't ignore the way his eyes tiered slightly when he thought about Bane and Prue together, and saw images of them 5 years ago---so happy even though only moments ago Prue hadn't even trusted Bane. They were so happy, and Andy knew it could happen again---all over again.

Andy couldn't stop the way every bone in his body held back his fist from slamming it squarely into Bane's jaw whenever a word was exchanged between the two of them.

He would never be able to stop the way his blood boiled when he saw the slight glint in her eyes when she spoke to him….that one they thought he never saw. That secret smile they shared when they thought he wasn't looking. But he was always looking. Always looking, always watching----for Prue.

Bane looked incredibly taken aback by this statement, yet slightly amused. But he quickly shook off any delight he had felt in seeing Andy so riled up against him, knowing how hard it must be for Andy to have him there. He simply turned his head away and opened his car door.

"Okay, I'm all for your plan," Bane said cautiously, "Let's go."

Bane and Andy started at each other for a moment before Andy broke the gaze and got out of the car himself.

They started down a slight dirt road to the small cave they had seen the sisters climb in over half an hour ago.

Pam, Prue, and Piper heard the slow drawl of an unfamiliar woman's voice coming from not far away.

"I told you I had the right place," Prue said in whispers to Piper more than Pam. There was no triumph in her voice, only a slight pleading tone.

"Well, congratulations," Piper said in a gruff mumble that Prue didn't hear. Pam, however, did, and gave a confused look to Piper that Piper didn't acknowledge.

"It's coming from straight along here," Pam informed as they continued to move along the wall.

The three of them kept walking a little ways before coming to the entrance of the room that held Phoebe and Cole's mother.

They entered and Piper, being in the lead, ran to Phoebe as soon as she spotted her.

Cole's mother stopped Piper mid-run, employing the same means of entrapment on Piper as she had on Phoebe. Piper clutched her obviously constricted throat and fell to the ground a little over from Phoebe.

"Piper!" Pam yelled as she began to run to her.

"No!" Prue stopped her, guessing that even though this woman was out of hands she had other ways of stopping Pam from reaching her sisters.

Pam stopped dead in her tracks and a wide grin spread across Cole's mother's face.

"I see you fancy yourself as quick-witted like your idiot of a sister over here," she said as she spoke to Prue and motioned towards Phoebe.

"I always thought there'd be more to it," Cole's mother continued, "Killing you, that is. All this talk of the infamous 'Power of Four' I hear going around!" She sounded as if she was discussing a rather popular new band rather than killing four young women.

"It certainly took you long enough to figure out what's happening," She went on with glee, "If I'm not mistaken, that brusque mortal man was the one who finally came to it."

"His name's Bane," Pam said defiantly, "And if you ask me, you talk a lot for someone who's done nothing more than get someone else to do a kidnapping for them. Oh, unless you count that showy little trick you just did to what, trip Piper? I must say, that was impressive."

Piper and Phoebe looked warningly at Pam, Piper because what she was experiencing was much more that being tripped and Phoebe because she'd known Cole's mother long enough to know that she wasn't going to take very kindly to snide remarks from a witch.

Cole's mother narrowed her eyes slightly, but not wanting to give too much away, shook off the gaze and proceeded with her plan.

She made sure however, that she paid Pam back for that remark before continuing.

Cole's mother dropped both of her hands, loosening the unseen grips on both Piper and Phoebe's throats. Piper began to slowly inch towards Phoebe, only to be stopped again by Cole's mother.

"If you move another muscle you'll beg for me to simply choke you again," She said airily. She waited for Piper to stop completely before turning back to Pam.

"It's hard to believe," She said as she waved her hand, sending Pam flying straight back at a wall full force, "That _this_ is what vanquished the Source. _This_ is what brought down a great demon like Barbas."

Cole's mother bowed her head slightly, allowing her eyes to focus on the ground.

"Pam!" Prue said, running to her, not caring what this woman might do to her.

Cole's mother kept her eyes down as she continued to speak.

"No matter," she said dryly, keeping her eyes down as she waved another hand, sending Prue flying a short distance into the wall beside her, making the blow all that much more painful, "They were fools. Now is the time for a new reign." She said, raising her head so that she was staring straight into Phoebe's eyes. "My reign."

She gave a wildly evil grin before a look as if to say she's forgotten something crossed her malicious features.

"I'm sorry dear," Cole's mother said quietly as she raised her right hand and snapped.

Cole appeared next to her, now in rather clean garments that matched the color and style of his mother's.

"I meant _our_ reign."

A/N: Hope you liked it. A bit short, I know. And nothing terribly exiting happened. Or much of anything. I don't know about you guys, but I very much liked that Andy and Bane bit. Anywho, questions and/or comments are more than welcome. As are flames. And reviews….ahh reviews are simply WONDERFUL.


	22. Phoebe

Chapter 22: Phoebe

Disclaimer: Oooh I sure am exited to see Kaley Cuoco and that naked guy from the Absolut Vodka ad on the brand new 8th season of Charmed. No, I really am! These tears are happy tears…..yep, and I think I'm just about happy enough to kill myself right now.

A/N: Not much to say…just hope you guys like it. I also really, really want you guys to review please!

"Cole?" Phoebe questioned, beginning to walk toward the man she had thought would never hurt her.

Piper grabbed Phoebe's arm, stopping her from going to Cole. Phoebe looked down roughly at Piper, having it not occur to her that Cole could be dangerous.

"Let go of me Piper," she said shortly, irritation obviously being her overriding emotion.

"You don't know if he's in league with that…that woman," Piper whispered quickly.

Phoebe started to utter a response when Cole's mother cut her off.

" 'That woman?' " She inquired, feigning offense.

"Oh, that's right," she continued, "You three don't know who I am," she said, speaking to Piper and the two barely conscious figures on the ground that were Pam and Prue. "I'd have thought you'd figured it out by know. But as your sister here has so willingly demonstrated, you witches are obviously not the brightest of the bunch."

Piper tried to think of a comeback quickly, but even if she had thought of one she knew that saying it would only stop the woman from giving her the information that she was so close to allowing.

"I'm Cole's mother," she filled in. Cole straightened up at these words, as if her stating the fact made him have to take pride in it.

Piper craned her neck in an expecting manner, waiting for the woman to finish the introduction and say her name.

"I suppose you want more than that," Cole's mother said knowingly, "I'm afraid you aren't allowed that privilege. Only the strong," she said, taking a quick gaze at Cole, "Can hold such power over me. You get what I told you. Nothing more."

Phoebe put this information together with what Cole's mother had told her before. Ever since she had lectured her earlier, Phoebe had been trying to use every little piece of information that Cole's mother spoke to her advantage. Phoebe searched her mind for a connection between the things she had heard.

Piper looked utterly confused at the woman's words, not understanding why she was making such a big deal out of a name.

From the corner, Pam, getting up the strength to talk, sat up and addressed the woman.

"Cole's mother?" She questioned, "But you're—"

"Dead?" Cole's mother finished for her with a slight laugh. "That's a deep misconception."

Pam, Piper, and a still-weak Prue gave confused looks and Cole's mother elaborated a bit.

"Let's just say that _witches_ are quick to believe they've done something good. It's only when something's wrong that they feel the need to double check. One of the ways that they, like humans, are profoundly inferior to demons."

Pam rose from the ground, newly aware of the previously unknown woman before her. She helped Prue to her feet and eyed Cole's mother warily.

Pam was much more worried than her sisters, seeing as she had heard of the horrible past that belonged to Cole's mother. She had done things that most people couldn't even imagine possible. She had been more than easy on the girls at this point keeping in mind what she was capable of.

Cole's mother took note of this, very amused at the sudden change in Pam's facial expression.

"You're the oldest, are you?" She said with mild fascination, "You're the one who knows—and yet you still mock me. Well," Cole's mother began as she raised a hand and brought Pam to her, "First to live, first to die."

She took Pam by the throat roughly, her long nails boring into Pam's neck. Cole's mother watched in delight as blood ran down her fingers.

"Cole," the half-demon's mother spoke promptly, "I'd like you to do the honors."

She conjured an athamae in her hand and handed it off to her son. Cole advanced on Pam with every intention of killing her.

"Cole," Phoebe said as if he were joking, "Cole? What are you doing?"

She broke into a run towards Cole as his mother rolled her eyes with annoyance.

"You're even dumber than I thought," She said, immobilizing Phoebe.

"Go on," she continued, speaking to Cole, "Do it now."

"But," he spoke somewhat vaguely, "She—"

"She's nothing," his mother said sternly, "Finish it, boy!" She yelled.

Cole hesitated, slowly edging away from both Pam and his mother and toward Phoebe.

"I'll do it myself!" She yelled, snatching the athamae from her son, "I was wrong—you're just as weak as she is. I'll deal with you later." She looked at Cole with contempt before raising the knife.

"No!" Piper screamed as she froze the scene.

"Quick, get the athamae," Piper said quickly to Prue, motioning for her to go towards Pam and Cole's mother.

She walked forward a bit used her telekinesis to bring the knife to her. Then, in mid-air it began to move back to where it as.

"Do you really think I'm the kind of demon who lays victim to the cheap parlor tricks of witches?" Cole's mother laughed as she gripped Pam's throat tighter.

She brought the athamae back to her hand and twirled it loosely. She then rammed it deeply into Pam's abdomen. She dropped Pam's limp body to the ground and advanced on Prue.

"Let's just go down the line, shall we?" She prepared to slit Prue's throat when something else caught her attention.

Cole had broken out of the freeze.

He rushed towards Phoebe and shook her out of his mother's hold.

"Stop!" Cole's mother screamed.

Cole stood there uncertainly while he held Phoebe round her waist to keep her standing.

"Cole," Phoebe said quietly, almost a whisper, "I figured it out. How to destroy her. It's in her name—her name. Do you know it?"

Cole nodded slowly as he turned to his mother.

"You keep your mouth shut!" she yelled, looking directly into her son's eyes, "You don't know a thing!"

"Say it Cole," Phoebe said weakly, "Say her name. Please..."

Cole looked wildly from his mother to Phoebe, completely and utterly torn.

"Goodbye," he said softly, everyone in the room unsure of whom he was talking to.

"Goodbye," Cole said as he turned his gaze up from the ground, "Phoebe."

Phoebe's eyes widened, not believing what she had just heard. She met Cole's eyes for a moment, but he tore them away from her and onto his mother, who was now screaming in anguish.

A/N: Are people confused or did you understand what happened? Don't worry, if you are confused, everything will be explained in the next chapter. Promise. Please review.


	23. For You

Chapter 23: For You

Disclaimer: When the Pussycat Dolls stop getting so high off themselves—that's when I'll own Charmed.

A/N: Hey guys. So, as promised, I'll explain what happened in the last chapter for those of you who didn't get it. The chapter should explain it for itself but feel free to ask about it in a review if for whatever reason it's still confusing.

"No!" Cole's mother screamed out, obviously in some less-than-mild pain. She recoiled against a wall with a contorted look about her face.

Piper, though confused, took the opportunity to summon some hope of life for Pam.

"Leo!" She yelled to the ceiling.

In an instant her Whitelighter husband appeared with an expectant look on his face.

"What is it?" He said quickly.

"Pam," Piper said shortly, pointing towards her barely alive sister.

He knelt down quickly and began to heal her. In a moment the both of them rose from the ground.

"Now!" Cole yelled to Phoebe, "Do it now!"

Phoebe obeyed Cole's cryptic order, even though she herself was a bit confused.

"Grab my hands!" Phoebe shouted to her sisters.

All three of them took her hands and they formed a circle around Cole's mother.

"Repeat after me," Phoebe told her sisters. With a collective nod from each of them Phoebe started the spell she had just put together.

_You cannot take what you do not have_

_Cannot hide what is not yours_

_Take this spirit to the darkest regions_

_Take what was not hers to hold_

_To hell and back this demon's wend_

_From the cinders and ashes—for thee we char_

_Take the name, take the hate she sends_

_Vanquish the mother of the demon Belthazor_

"No!" Cole's mother repeated, now burning to her death, "You can't do this to me!" She continued, looking into Cole's bemused eyes, "Not my son…not you."

Hey words were cut short as she was incinerated into nothing more than a pile of ash on the ground.

The girls looked expectantly at Cole, as if expecting him to show some kind of emotion.

"I'm not your son," he said, final as he straightened his suit jacket and stalked out of the cave, leaving behind five very confused individuals.

Pam, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo gave Cole a moment before following after him.

"I don't understand it," Piper said as they walked down the narrow passageway of the cave, "Why did she withdraw with pain like that when Cole said Phoebe's name?"

"Because she had a spell in place," Phoebe answered, "It was set so that the second she would get vanquished Cole would die too. But she kept talking to me about how important names were—and how I held no power over her because I didn't know hers. Then she said this one thing—'Even a demon cannot break the bonds of what has already been done. But a name can.' I figured she'd enchanted the spell so that the utterance of her name by someone other than herself would break it."

"So her name was Phoebe too?" Prue said, putting the pieces together.

"Yep," Leo said, having been told the information by the Elders.

"Made sense," Phoebe said, "The way she kept saying my—well _our_ name, it was like she was obsessed with it," Phoebe observed, "Pff—like she's some moon goddess either," Phoebe added.

Prue and Pam gave her and odd glance but they laughed after a second. The whole of them then heard cracking and what seemed to be the sound of a hard fist colliding with a jaw ring out through the cave. They then walked right into what seemed to be an all-out brawl between Andy and Bane. Andy was obviously winning, wailing mercilessly on Bane. Cole stood above them, ready to throw a low-voltage energy ball.

"She's…not….yours!" Andy yelled through punches, "You're nothing but a low-life! I've thrown tons of guys like you in the bin. You're just lucky you got out. You're scum, do you hear me? Scum! You're not good enough for her! Not nearly!"

"I didn't want to do this..." Cole began as he raised his hand to throw the concentrated electricity.

"Cole, don't!" Phoebe yelled, rushing forward.

"Finally," he huffed, extinguishing the ball, "It took you five long enough to get here. What'd you do, stop for coffee and doughnuts?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes at Cole and looked at Prue who was now rushing forward to break up the scene.

"Stop it!" She yelled to no avail.

Andy continued to beat on Bane, seemingly oblivious to Prue's words.

"Andy!" Prue hollered once more, "Andy you're killing him!"

Prue had finally had enough and decided to employ different means to get them apart. She raised both her hands and threw each man to an opposite wall in the cave.

Bane stayed to the ground, too beaten to stand, and Andy rose, straightened his jacket, and stared directly at Bane.

"She's not for you," he said as he exited the cave, leaving everyone behind.

Sure of who Andy was talking about, Pam gave a bit of a solemn face at Bane. As soon as he saw it she wiped it off quickly, tearing her eyes away from his.

"I'll...go after him," Prue said uncertainly, "Leo; can you please take Bane back to the Manor to get healed?"

Leo nodded and took Bane's bloodied hand in his. With a goodbye to Piper orbed off to the Manor with Andy's assault victim.

Prue then ran after Andy and found him sitting in the front seat of her car, ready to drive off in it.

"Andy!" She called out to him, "Andy, wait!"

Andy ceased his action and got out of the car.

"What, Prue?" He said, anticipating what Prue was going to say, "What do you want from me?" He continued, "Do you want me to say that I didn't mean that? You want me to say that I'm okay with him hanging around all the time? Huh?"

Prue gave a helpless look, not sure what to say. At that very moment she felt about as proud as a field mouse for leaving the two alone together.

"Prue, do you want me to say that I wasn't trying to…"

"Don't," Prue said abruptly, "Don't say that. I know you Andy—you would never…"

"For you, Prue," Andy said; emotion rising like doves from a broken chapel, "I'd do anything."

He then walked off past the cave, leaving Prue standing there; crying like she had just lost the first person she had ever loved.

A/N: Oh, that was a tearjerker. Sort of. Not really. Anywho, please review and give me comments. Fell free to flame as needed.


	24. Just A Kiss

Chapter 24: Just a Kiss

Disclaimer: If I didn't feel like the only one aware of the fact that Brad Kern is quite possibly full of more BS than the normal human being could conceivably withstand, I might own Charmed.

A/N: Is it just me or is only one person reading this? I know I've been told that more people are, it's just that they're afraid to review, but I'm not gonna pretend like I understand that. I mean, what I am, a mind reader? If you don't tell me what you want then I have no idea. So it'd be real nice if you guys who aren't reviewing could find the time to write even one word just so I know that you're listening.

Three hours after Andy had left her standing in the desert, Prue pulled into the driveway of the Manor. Cole had shimmered Piper and Phoebe home, leaving her to think about what had happened as well as what her next move would be.

Had Andy really just as well as told her that he was willing to kill Bane for her? She didn't think it possible that someone like Andy—a good guy in every right—would be able to harm; murder another individual so recklessly.

This had all been her fault—she knew it. All for something she didn't even have a reason for. If Andy killed Bane his blood would be on her hands. All over a kiss—just a kiss.

She got out of her car and wiped her still-wet face before entering the Manor cautiously. When she did she was greeted by an eccentric Piper.

"Prue, where the hell have you been?" She questioned as she gave her older sister a worried hug.

Prue was glad to know that it seemed like Piper had finally actually forgiven her. She let this thought sink in for a second before answering.

"I, uh, stopped to think," Prue said quietly, almost a whisper, "Where's everyone else?" She asked, breaking away form Piper and walking beside her.

"Cole put Phoebe to bed—apparently she was wiped out—he's upstairs in their room now. Leo's up with the Elders explaining what happened—"

"What?" Prue said, her eyes alight with awareness.

"With Cole's mother I mean," Piper filled in.

"Oh," Prue said simply, calming down a bit.

"But speaking of that other thing," Piper continued, "Bane's in the kitchen with Pam."

"And what about Andy," Prue asked, deliberately keeping her eyes from meeting Piper's.

"You don't know?" Piper inquired.

With a confused expression from Prue Piper continued.

"He never came back—I thought you might know where he was."

"Never came back?" Prue questioned, fresh worries arising in her mind.

"Don't worry sweetie," Piper consoled, pulling Prue into another embrace, "I'm sure he'll be back soon. He loves you too much to stay away. You know that."

"Yeah I do," Prue commented, "And that's what scares me."

Piper furrowed her brow at this comment but seeing the deep red tear streaks on her sister's face refrained from inquiring further on the subject. After a moment, Leo orbed down in front of the two looking slightly troubled.

"Leo," Piper leaded, "What is it?"

"Huh?" Leo said, trying to act innocent, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't give me that Leo," Piper said sternly, "What's going on?"

Knowing he had lost, Leo sighed and hesitated a moment before answering.

"It's...the Elders," Leo started, "I just got finished talked to them."

"Uh-huh," Piper remarked, "Keep going."

"They—they want Cole to leave," Leo finished.

"What?" Piper said, craning her neck forward, "Why?"

"Well they think it's too easy for him to turn," Leo said matter-of-factly, "After what happened with his mother they think that maybe Cole's still to influenced by evil. That maybe he'll go too far and hurt one of us." Leo looked as if he were going to continue and Prue noted this.

"Andy you agree with them," she said knowingly.

"Well…they're not completely wrong," he noted.

"For once," Piper gibed.

"You saw what he did to Phoebe," Leo pointed out.

"Yeah, after his insane mother subliminally planted her voice telling him to," Prue pointed back.

"He was ready to throw an energy ball at Andy and Bane just to get them to stop fighting," Leo continued.

"A low-voltage one, I'm sure," Prue retorted.

Both Leo and Piper took a moment to process this. It gave both of them a bit of a start to hear Prue defending Cole. They both raised they're eyebrows at Prue who herself found a bit of oddity in her words.

"What?" Prue questioned of her sister and her brother-in-law. The two of them kept their faces in a confused manner and Prue continued talking.

"Okay, alright I know it's weird," she said, "I've not always been exactly gun-ho about Cole and definitely not one to defend him," with a skeptical look from Piper Prue added, "And _I know _that might be a bit of an understatement. But Cole's also saved us plenty of times. It would be unfair to throw him out over something like this—I mean, we get into trouble like this everyday—it just _happens_ to be that this time the way we got into trouble had to do with him."

Piper and Leo kept their unbelieving faces on Prue, but tore their gaze away when they heard a voice coming down from the top of the landing.

"Talking about getting rid of me, are you?" He said in inappropriately cheery tone.

Prue, Piper, and Leo fiddled around awkwardly, not knowing how to respond to that.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Cole said with a wave of his hand as he reached the bottom of the stairs and the rest of the group, "I can't say I wasn't expecting it…after all this."

"Cole, it's just..." Leo started.

"Just nothing," Prue jumped in, "Nothing more than another useless suggestion from the Elders. Think nothing of it."

Cole gave the same skeptical glare Prue had received from Piper and Leo, clearly believing he had heard wrong.

"You?" Cole said, pointing at Prue, "Defending…me?" He continued, pointing at himself and looking around to the others to make sure he wasn't the only one who had heard what Prue had said.

"If one more person gives me that look I think I'm gonna have to get ugly on them," Prue concluded jokingly.

Piper exchanged a quick glance with Leo before speaking.

"Naah…too easy," She said with a laugh.

"Well I don't know about you three but I'm starving," Cole said, "As you all may remember, I didn't exactly get to my breakfast this morning."

"Okay," Piper said as she began walking into the kitchen, "I'll fix us all something."

"Sure," Prue complied as she, Cole, and Leo followed Piper. A thought then crossed her mind as an afterthought, "Piper where did you say Pam and Bane were again?"

They rounded the corner into the kitchen and all took in a collective breath of shock.

"Right in front of us," Cole answered for Piper somewhat quietly.

They all simply stood there with nothing remotely audible to say.

They stood there and watched what to someone else may have been considered nothing.

To someone else, it may have seemed highly unusually for them all to be utterly stunned all over a kiss.

Just a kiss.

A/N: So some of you saw that coming from way back when. Oh, what a predicament we have in the Halliwell home. Don't forget what I said earlier—I really did mean it. Please review and I'll have a chapter up nice and speedy.


	25. Choice

Chapter 25: Choice

Disclaimer: If I owned Charmed I think the world would finally be able to admit that O.J. did, in fact, do it.

A/N: So once again just about no one reviewed. It's just as well. I think I'm ending this terribly soon—honestly almost nobody is reading this.

"Well," Cole said in a deep, throaty voice that made both Bane and Pam jump.

"We…uh we were just," Pam began. She looked to Bane for help but he had his eyes defiantly fixated on the white linoleum floor. Prue kept her eyes on him, wanting him to have the courage to look her in the eye, but all the while knowing he it would never happen.

"Bane," Piper started quietly, "I think you should leave." She tried to sound as motherly and caring as possible, though it was a bit obvious that she was glad for an opportunity to get this particular complication out of their lives.

Bane looked at Piper, clearly excepting this, and nodded his head almost indefinably. She scratched this side of it absentmindedly and spoke gruffly.

"Yeah…ok," was all he had to say as he turned an almost expressionless face to Pam before turning his head back to the floor, steadfast in his efforts not to look at Prue.

"What are you doing?" Pam almost yelled, "Why should he have to leave?"

"It's just complicated," Piper started, "Andy's gonna be back soon…it just kind of makes sense—"

"Makes sense?" Pam let out an outraged squeal that made Leo and Cole start a little.

"Why? Because Bane and Prue had a thing five years ago? Oh yeah, that makes a whole lotta sense," she finished in a sarcastic tone.

"It wasn't just five years ago Pam," Piper said in a meek voice that was barely audible.

"What?" Pam said, turning her head sharply towards Piper, then back to Prue and to Bane.

Prue gave a surprised look to Piper, unsure of why she was ready to ruin something that could've been good for Pam.

"They…" Piper started but found herself a bit too uncomfortable to finish, "They…"

"We kissed," Prue finished, having rather Pam heard it form her than someone else, even if that someone else was Piper. Prue kept her eyes away from Pam much like the way Bane was keeping his away from her.

"Oh…" Pam said, many things making sense all of a sudden. She wasn't exactly what you would call surprised, it was clear to her of whom Andy was talking about in the cave, therefore obvious that Bane was still feeling for someone other than her.

"Look at me Bane," Pam said, wanting to be sure of one thing once and for all.

Bane looked up at her, a bit confused.

"Now tell me," Pam continued, "Tell me that just meant nothing."

"Pam…" Bane began.

"I want you to say it," Pam said, trying to sound as emotionless as possible but failing miserably.

"Pam, I can't," Bane started.

Prue had an unmistakable look of betrayal on her face. She knew she didn't love Bane—she knew the kiss between herself and him meant nothing to her—but yet she couldn't stop herself from feeling hurt that Bane could so easily have feelings for someone else so close to her.

"Oh, you can't, can you?" Pam said, trying to turn this into a jeer even though tears were falling fast down her cheeks.

"Why, Bane?" She continued, "Why can't you just make up your mind?"

"Me?" Bane said, sounding angry and a bit offended, "Why can't _I_ make up my mind? What about _her_?"

He indicated towards Prue, who was now, to little knowledge of her own, crying as well.

"Bane…" Prue pleaded.

"No!" He cut her off, "I want you to make a choice. You can't just be with him and keep me around in case things don't work out—I'm not your ultimatum! You keep on sending me these mixed signals like I'm just your toy. Well I'm not. Dammit, we're adults Prue. This shouldn't be so hard!"

Prue put on her brave face and tried to act like she wasn't falling apart inside.

"You're right…" Prue started, "I…"

"I saved you," Bane cut her off once more, "I went back to jail for you, Prue. I risked my life for you and you're just as well going to throw me out on the street like some common criminal!"

"That's all you are," a voice said from behind the lot, "I might be the only one who sees it…but that is all you are."

"Andy," Prue breathed as she hesitated a second before moving in to hug him.

"Andy that's not fair and you know it," Pam said, eyeing him with great dislike at the moment.

"We're not that different, you know," Andy said to Pam, breaking away from Prue's embrace rather roughly, "You and me, I mean. Neither of us was really there, you know. To see it for what it really was—Prue and Bane. We watched it from 'Up There,'" he said, pointing to the ceiling, "But I understand it more than you—I could hear her thoughts—that was my job after all. I tried my best to get her away from him. But I couldn't."

Prue looked a bit alarmed at this, not being able to imagine what Andy must have felt having to hear what Prue thought about Bane so soon after he had died.

"But they made me…made me give her what would make her happiest. And that was Bane," Andy continued.

Bane took in a bit of gratification at the statement but Prue looked utterly horrified.

"That was the hardest thing I ever had to do," Andy persisted, "Until now. I can't bring myself to feel bad for him. I can't bring myself not to hate him. And God help me," Andy said as he hung his head in shame, making tears fall hard on the kitchen floor, "I can't even bring myself to save him. He's the only one…the only one I'll never…I can't."

Prue looked at Andy with a new realization lighting her eyes. Her heart stung in a way she never thought possible, feeling like the world's biggest dolt for everything she had put Andy through.

"I'm so sorry," she said, going over to Andy and hugging him once more, "I didn't know…I'm so sorry."

"Is that your choice?" Bane asked even though it was more than obvious to not only him but to everyone in the room that it was.

Prue brought her tear-streaked face up from its place on Andy's shoulder to meet Bane's. Before she had a chance to say anything Bane raised his hand to stop her.

"Alright," Bane said, "I can take a hint." He kept his head down and began to exit the Manor through the back door.

"So you're juts gonna leave?" Pam laughed through her tears as if she'd expected this, "Maybe what Andy said was true then…"

Bane jerked his head up quickly and advanced on Pam spasmodically enough to make Leo and Cole ready to stop him from hurting her. Bane grabbed onto both of Pam's shoulders and talked about an inch away from her face.

"I want you to take that back," he said roughly, "Now."

"I think it's time for you to back off a little," Leo said, laughing slightly to try to lighten up the mood and to not seem as if he were threatening Bane.

Bane paid no notice and continued to try to coerce Pam into taking back her words.

"Now!" He screamed, "You didn't mean that, I know you didn't!"

"Look," Cole said, throwing Bane off Pam and onto the floor, "Piper's right—it's time for you to go."

Bane got to his feet quickly and pointed straight at Pam.

"Don't you ever think that I want to leave," Bane said, "I'm doing this because I have to. What I felt for you—I'll be damned if you call that nothing."

He rubbed his shoulder a bit before sweeping past the group and out of the Halliwell Manor. Pam jumped at the slam the door made upon Bane's exit.

Just then a sleepy-eyed Phoebe walked into the kitchen.

"What'd I miss?"

A/N: So, like I said, this has a pretty good chance of ending soon. I really don't want to end it but from what I can tell you guys do. Review and tell me otherwise if you feel so inclined. But I have a inking feeling that no one will because no one ever does, except for the, lets see, two people who have been faithful readers through the whole story. The only reason this is still going is for you guys.


	26. Only You

Chapter 26: Only You

Disclaimer: Oooh look! More than two people reviewed a chapter of Things of the Past! Oh wait, no they didn't.

A/N: Okay here it is. Just so people who are reading this are clear, I know it. That you're reading, that is. Remember how I mentioned that a few chapter back? Anywho, on with the fic.

"Cole," Phoebe said as she shook Cole's shoulder to wake him up. "Cole!" She yelled as her first attempt had failed.

"What…" Cole said vaguely without opening his eyes.

"Cole, wake up," Phoebe prodded, "It's important."

"Demon?" Cole questioned as he bolted upright.

"No," Phoebe rolled her eyes at Cole's assumption.

"Well what then?" He said throatily, lying back down on his pillow.

"Where do you think he went?" Phoebe continued.

"What….who went where?" Cole solicited, still half asleep.

"Bane!" Phoebe almost yelled as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

At this Cole sat up again with a highly confused look upon his face.

"Bane?" Cole repeated.

"Yeah," Phoebe nodded her head in conclusion. Cole stared with the same expression on his face and Phoebe kept talking.

"What?" She asked quickly.

"Why do you care?" Cole said with the look leaving his face a bit.

"Well, you know, I was just wondering," Phoebe answered, seemingly thinking it was odd that Cole would ask this question.

"Wait," Cole started, a look of concern flashing across his eyes, "You don't wanna go kiss him too, do you?" Cole asked seriously.

"You…" Phoebe started, "You think that I?" She pointed to herself, "Wanted to kiss…" Phoebe's face broke into a grin as she pointed out the window.

Cole nodded his head, his face remaining in its same severe expression.

Phoebe howled with laughter at seeing Cole's face.

"Hey," Cole said, sounding genuinely hurt.

"I'm sorry," Phoebe said though giggles, "It's just…I can't believe you'd think that I…" Phoebe couldn't get another word out as she continued to laugh.

"Well with everyone else in this house running off to be with him a guy starts to wonder," Cole concluded.

Phoebe stifled her laughs long enough to speak.

"Aww, sweetie," Phoebe said, laying her head on Cole's chest, "I love you. That means you never have to worry about me leaving you. Ever."

"Well Prue loves Andy doesn't she?" Cole questioned, "And as far as I know Bane didn't cast any spells on her. So what if love isn't enough?"

"It's enough for me," Phoebe concluded, "Prue's just…she's just confused right now."

"Well promise me you won't go getting confused," Cole said, pulling Phoebe closer.

"Promise," Phoebe said.

"So," she continued, "Where do you think he went?"

"Away from here," Cole said, laughing a little.

"I'm sure," Phoebe agreed, "Away from here and away from—"

"Prue!" Andy called, turning over and over on Prue's bare mattress.

"Prue no!" Andy continued, his eyes still shut and terror breaching his face.

"Andy what's wrong?" Prue said, waking up and trying to calm him.

"Don't…" Andy continued to scream, "Don't, please! Don't make me…I don't want to."

Prue furrowed her brow, still trying to steady Andy. He calmed down for a bit before starting up again.

"You don't want it!" He screamed, "I'm here, Prue. You don't want him! I'm still here. Can you hear me baby? I never left. Please hear me."

Andy stopped turning and scrunched up his face a little.

"I don't want to go," he said softly.

Though no tears fell Prue could tell Andy was sobbing under his eyelids.

"Andy," Prue called quietly, "Andy wake up."

Andy's eyes shot open with confusion and he sat upright.

Prue hugged him tightly, not knowing what he was talking about but knowing that look on his face…the one that Prue couldn't stand to see. The one that she had made him wear for the past three days.

"Tell me what it was," Prue urged as she broke away from him.

"It was just a…a bad dream," Andy said nonchalantly as he put on a big smile, "Nightmares, you know…they seem so real—"

"Andy," Prue cut him off, "What was it?"

"I…" Andy began, "I was just dreaming…reliving I guess…the day when…when you saw Bane again. For the second time."

Prue nodded with realization at what Andy was talking about. She wanted him to stop talking—she could see that this was hurting him much more than anyone should have to hurt.

"Andy…" Prue started.

But Andy continued talking, his face downcast, seemingly in some type of trance.

"I was remembering when they…when the Elders made me make you…they told me it would make you happy. And that was my job."

He looked up into Prue's eyes with a look so pleading it made her break out into tears before she even had time to stop them.

"I called you," he continued, "I yelled out to you. 'I'm here, Prue. You don't want him! I'm still here. Can you hear me baby? I never left. Please hear me,'" Andy mimicked his own words.

"Please hear me," he repeated.

"But you didn't…you couldn't," he continued.

Prue tried to move, but she couldn't. She wanted him to stop but at the same time she wanted to hear more, know what he was feeling. She wanted him to let go what he had been holding on to for such a long time.

"So I did what I had to do," Andy said, still looking straight into Prue's eyes, "I did my job. And I don't know if it's possible for a dead man to die more…but I did."

Prue's heart lurched at Andy's words.

"Andy…" Prue repeated her earlier words to no avail.

"Just a little more, Prue," Andy said, "That day I died all over again…just for you. All for you."

Prue had heard enough. She ran forward and kissed Andy hard.

"I love you," she said through chokes and sobs, "Never anyone else. My whole life, Andy. It's only been you. I'm so sorry I ever made you doubt that."

She rested her head on Andy's shoulder as they laid back down on the mattress, Prue hoping that maybe, one day, Andy could remember that he was the only person she'd ever loved.

A/N: Can you say filler? Apparently I can. Nothing happened and it was a whole lotta randomness. But I felt like explaining more of how Andy was feeling since I spent so much time on telling how everyone else was feeling. That's the definition of filler, I know. But maybe the people reading this will like it. I don't know, we'll see in the two…maybe even…dare I say it? Three (shudder gasp) reviews that I get on this chapter. I'm being a dumbass, I know. Not to mention just plain sardonic and a little retarded. But wouldn't you be?


	27. Other Side of Life

Chapter 27: Other Side of Life

Disclaimer: When Haley comes with a Scott again—that's when I'll own Charmed.

A/N: So you told me not to end it. When I say you, I mean you—no plural. You'll have to excuse the bitchiness; that kind of things comes out in a person when they feel rejected and unappreciated. But, yeah, for the people reading I know you are. So if you didn't already get it that stuff's not directed at you. I guess it's directed at the people not reviewing. Or the people not reading. But if they're not reading they don't even know I'm saying this, right? So then I'm just going unread and unheard. No problem though, I'm quite used to it. Hmmm…how much do I love AndyPrueForever? Look at the reviews to find out. And that's one of the people I'm NOT referring to when I go into my frequent Piper-like bitch sessions. When I say one, I mean like one out of three.

"Do you think I did the right thing Leo?" Piper said as she sat up against the headboard of her bed.

"About what?" He questioned, sitting up as well.

"You know, telling Pam about Bane and Prue and asking Bane to leave like that," Piper elaborated, "I mean, technically he didn't do anything wrong…"

"Nothing wrong?" Leo said skeptically as he laughed a bit, "You saw how he grabbed Pam. There's a reason that guy was in jail, honey. I don't care how much he's "reformed," no one changes overnight."

"Yeah, I guess so," Piper said still sullen, "But I really don't think he's that violent. I think he was just confused. I think Prue is too. But who I really feel guilty about is Pam. I think she really liked him…I just kind of ruined it for her."

"Piper," Leo started, "It was going to get ruined sooner or later. I mean if you hadn't stopped it both Bane and Prue would've had to make a choice. You just made it come out faster, that's all."

"Maybe…" Piper complied, "I just wish Pam had somebody. I mean, here I am and here you are—married and child bound—and Phoebe has Cole and Prue definitely has Andy. Pam _had_ Bane for like, a second. Honestly—she's been through too much not to have someone by her side."

Piper looked over at Leo to see wide grin plastered across his face.

"What are you smilin' about, Mister?" Piper solicited, her face contracting a grin as well.

"You said 'child bound,'" Leo commented.

"I know I did," Piper commented back, "And I meant it."

"Child bound," Leo repeated, "I like the sound of that."

"Yeah, we're lucky," Piper said, laying her head on Leo's shoulder, "Old married fogies don't have to worry about all that boyfriend-stealing sister mess."

Leo laughed and Piper continued.

"Seriously," Piper said as she lifted her head off Leo's shoulder and laughed as well, "I thought this was supposed to be about magic—where the hell did all this drama come from?"

"Come on," Leo said, getting out of bed, "It's almost 10:00."

"Yeah I have to go down to the club and make sure everything's just right for tomorrow."

"I almost forgot about Chevelle playing," Leo said as the both of them made their way out of the bedroom door, "You know, with all this boyfriend-stealing sister mess going around."

Piper slapped Leo's arm lightly. He expressed mock pain as they went downstairs hand-in-hand.

Pam sat alone in a booth in the same restaurant her, Phoebe, and Cole had been in only four days ago. She lightly picked at the breakfast in front of her as a million thoughts raced through her mind.

'I should've known,' Pam thought to herself, 'They had history together. And plus it's Prue. No matter how much older I am than her I still come from the side of life that doesn't mean growing up gradually like you're supposed to and going to school and having friends. I know pain, not romance. I should've known…'

"You look lonely," a voice said, pulling Pam away from her inner monologue, "Mind if I join you?"

Paige looked up to see a man she'd never seen before smiling down on her.

"Sure," Pam said, moving over a bit.

"Now, forgive me if I'm being forward," the man said, "But you really do look awfully sad. It hurts my heart to see someone as pretty as you with a frown on."

Pam smiled inwardly at the compliment as she let the stranger continue to talk.

"It just so happens," the man continued, "That I know, for a fact, that pancakes from this place have made people so happy they think they'll never frown again. So I think I'll just take it upon myself to order you a stack," he added, "That is, if you don't mind."

"Nice lines," Pam laughed wholeheartedly, "I'll make sure to try them one day."

The man laughed as well and waited for Pam to say something else.

"It's a nice gesture," Pam continued, "But I already ate."

"You call _that_ eating?" The man commented, pointing to Pam's plate.

"I'm sorry, but I think Calista Flockhart eats more than that for breakfast."

Pam laughed once more, this time louder than she thought capable of late.

"Just let me buy you one stack," He continued, "And I'm sure you'll love them, …" The man trailed off, not knowing Pam's name.

"Pam," she filled in, "The name's Pam Halliwell."

"Nice," the man said, "I'm David Blake, and the pleasure's all mine."

Pam smiled once more, interested in getting her mind off Bane and enjoying a meal with her new breakfast mate.

Pam looked forward to forgetting the other side of life.

A/N: Haha, two fillers in a row! That must be a FFN record! Pff—no wonder no one reviews this story. Well if you get the time, you know where that little blue button is.


	28. Keep To Yourself

Chapter 28: Keep To Yourself

Disclaimer: When I have to watch while my husband Brian Krause gets socked in the face by an oversized gallout—that's a clear marking that I DON'T own Charmed. And by the way, _stop smirking Demian_.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. As you already know if you read my other fic, I have mass amounts of homework that don't seem to be going away. But I'll definitely try to update better from now on. Oh, and, by the way—you know what I just noticed? I AM A TOTAL BITCH. How am I just noticing that now, you ask? Well I read some of the reviews on the last chapter and just thought—'Am I retarded, or is my name just Kaley Cuoco?' I mean, personally, I save the chapters of a story onto my laptop, read them whenever I have time, and _then_—_if_ I can swing it around my homework, I review. And here I am bitching my ass off at all of you for not reviewing _my_ story. Ch Damn—And Ch Damn again. And then WOW. And WOW again.

"So where'd you grow up?" David solicited across the booth as he forked a bit of Pam's pancakes.

"Hey…" Pam leaded, pulling her plate out of David's reach, "Eat your own."

"So I guess that means you're an only child," David presumed.

"Shows how much you know," Pam countered playfully, "I have three sisters."

"Really?" David said, raising his eyebrows in surprise and mild skepticism, "Three?"

"Yes, three," Pam confirmed, "We all live in a house up on Prescott Street."

"Mhmm…Prescott Street—fancy digs," David joked.

"We inherited it," Pam said, laughing, "It belonged to my parents and my grandparents and my great-grandparents before that."

"Oh, okay," David nodded, "Maybe you're just a reserved person then," David continued, "I sense that you like to keep to yourself."

"Well, yeah," Pam nodded slightly, "I guess I do. It just makes things easier, you know? The fewer ties you have to others, the easier it is to mess up; be sad; be your own person."

"What about be happy?" David inquired earnestly.

"I've never really had to worry much about that," Pam said before she could stop herself.

"Well then I guess that my aim is to change that," David resolved.

"Oh really now?" Pam said, intrigued.

"Definitely."

Pam smiled widely at the way David could so easily make her do just that: smile. She loosened up a little as David continued talking.

"So are you going to get back to my question later or just pretend like I never asked it?" David allowed.

"What question?" Pam said, furrowing her brow.

"Where'd you grow up?" David repeated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"How do you know I didn't grow up on Prescott Street?" Pam said, leaning farther away from David and getting slightly alarmed at the fact that he correctly assumed that she hadn't grown up in the Manor.

"I just have a feeling," David answered, leaning in as Pam leaned back.

"Far…" Pam began, a little flustered at how close David was leaning in.

"Far?" David asked, though not seeming like the location of Pam's hometown was his main priority.

"Far away," Pam corrected herself, gaining a bit of her composure back, "You've never heard of it."

"Try me," David challenged, leaning in closer and rising from the booth a bit in the process.

"Fine," Pam challenged back, "It's a little town in Los Angeles called Elderton…_very_ small population—mostly old men who think they know a lot more than they do."

"I've never heard of it." David concluded, seeming genuinely confused at the fact that he had not, in fact, heard of Elderton.

"Told you so," Pam gloated, "And by the way," she continued with the slightest twinge of a smile, "You might want to lean back into that booth before more syrup gets on that pretty little shirt of yours."

Pam indicated to the object in question and David sat back down, clearly embarrassed. He wiped at his shirt with a clump of napkins as his face turned a deep red color.

Pam felt a stab of guilt and she saw David cutely fumble with the napkins in his hand. He looked like the kind of person who was harder on themselves than anyone else in the world—he looked kike the kind of person Pam was.

"Listen," she said as he finally met her gaze after satisfactorily removing the syrup from his shirt, "There's this old club downtown—my aunt used to own it and me and my sisters just got it up and running. The grand re-opening is tomorrow—I'll have a pass for you if you want it."

"You mean P3?" David questioned.

"Yeah…" Pam answered, once again getting the feeling that David knew a little too much about her; or at least more than he was letting on.

"You're kidding!" David commented. "I've been waiting for the opening since I heard the daughters of the original owner were re-opening the place. You and your sisters are the new owners? I thought you said that your aunt used to own it, not your mother."

"Yeah…well that's complicated…" Pam stated, the odd and foreboding feeling lifting a bit. It was completely reasonable for David to have heard of P3 re-opening. It _had_ been broadcast on the radio. Pam tried to shut the little voice in the back of her head screaming "DEMON!" up as she continued to talk.

"I'll explain it to you some other time if you're lucky," Pam said hurriedly, wanting to get off the subject, "Like I said, I'll have a pass for you at the door."

"At the door?" David leaded, "Why not just give it to me in person?"

"What—you mean like a…a…" Pam stumbled over her own words.

"Date?" David completed Pam's sentence for her, "Well…yeah," David concluded, "Why not?"

"I don't think…" Pam started.

"Please…" David implored, widening his eyes like a small child.

"But…" Pam tried once more to turn the man down, now instantly regretting her extension of the pass in the first place.

"Pam…" David continued, "Please…for me?"

He then put on a look that made Pam feel like David was begging for his life and she was holding the knife. Nothing short of this could've broken her down.

"Fine!" Pam said, throwing her arms up in defeat.

"Yes!" David rejoiced a bit louder than he should've.

"Yes…fine…I'll go with you…on a _date_," Pam said; overpowered.

"Well speaking of _dates_," David mimicked, "We wouldn't want the P3 opening to be our first one."

"We wouldn't?" Pam said, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"No, of course not. I mean, what do people do at clubs? They dance. It's awkward to only half-know the person you're dancing with. Either you dance with a stranger or you dance with someone you know. Halfway just makes things weird."

"It does?" Pam questioned once more, straightening her head but still sporting a look of confusion.

"Uh-huh. So I propose this: dinner and a movie tonight—I'll pick you up at 8:00."

"Wait—but—what?" Pam said, suddenly terribly alarmed at David's forwardness.

"Don't worry—I think I'll be able to guess which house on Prescott Street is yours."

David dropped some money on the table—clearly enough to pay for his meal in addition to Pam's—stood up, and began to make his way out of the restaurant.

"You what?" Pam screeched as she rose to meet David and try to stop him from leaving before he further explained himself. She caught up with him at the door of the restaurant

"You forgot..." Pam began, only to have David cut her off.

"You're right," David began, "I did forget something."

"Thank you…" Pam said to herself more than David, glad that he had presumably realized how incredibly fast he was moving.

"I forgot to give you this."

David swooped in and gave Pam the most engaging kiss she had ever received.

"I'll see you at 8:00." David said after breaking away.

He walked around Pam and spoke once more before exiting completely.

"Maybe I can get you to keep to me instead of yourself," He said, flashing a largely charming smile.

Pam stood there a bit star struck, not knowing what to do. All she knew was that she wanted David back and she wanted him back now. And after she got him back she never wanted to let go.

Suddenly, the last thing Pam Halliwell wanted to do, was to keep to herself.

A/N: Okay, I KNOW this is getting annoying. I promise to stop with the fillers, like, really soon. Promise! I just wanted to...I don't know—set up David's character…? Maybe…? Or set up him and Pam's relationship…? MAYBE…? Don't ask me why I write what I write! How am I supposed to know that? Who do I look like, Nostradomas? By the way, is an update a week good for you guys? Please review (But DON'T be pressed on it.)


	29. Help

Chapter 29: Help

Disclaimer: Homeland Security? A cover-up for homeland security? HELL NO I don't own that shit.

A/N: Just wondering…did anyone get the joke about Pam having said she was from Los Angeles? You know, cause it's "The City of Angles?" I know, I'm really not funny. I know it took bloody forever to update—I just have a million things going on. But this is back up now and I'll try my best to have another chapter on by next Monday. By the way, I think this is _probably_ ending at 40. That OK with everyone? Anywho, on with the fic.

"Okay, so everything's alright for tomorrow night?" Piper questioned of the band manager sitting opposite her on the bar at P3.

"Yeah," the man answered, "I just need for you to tell me what time would be best for us to come by for the sound-check and the band's payment."

"Okay," Piper said, handing a check over to the manager, "Here's the money. And I guess maybe sometime around seven-ish would be alright for a sound check."

"Great, see you then," the man said, exiting up the stairs as Pam came rushing down them.

"Piper!" Pam yelled as she stopped right in front of her younger sister.

"What?" Piper said, almost jumping back at Pam's eccentric manner.

"I need your help," Pam said more calmly.

"Sure," Piper said suspiciously, "With what?"

"Piper," Pam began, "What do you do on a…_date_?"

Piper busted out in guffawing laughter, doubling over behind the bar. When she finally stopped enough to answer Pam her face was red from lack of oxygen.

"Nice one Pam," Piper commented, "Now what do you really need help with?"

"Piper, I'm serious," Pam whined, "I need you to tell me what you do on a date."

"Y—you're not joking…" Piper realized, all laughter leaving her features, "What do you need to know that for?"

"Well I happen to have one tonight," Pam said haughtily.

"You do?" Piper asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Well don't act so surprised!" Pam defended.

"I'm sorry," Piper raised her hands in apology, "I just don't understand why you'd want dating advice from me. I mean, I don't know if Prue or Phoebe's told you but I don't exactly have the best track record with guys. Maybe you should ask Prue, or…"

"No," Pam said, cutting Piper off, "I'm asking you. I want to know what _you_ would do on a date. I mean, no offense but Prue and Phoebe don't exactly move the slowest when it comes to guys."

Piper nodded in compliance as Pam continued.

"Think about it Piper," Pam said, "I haven't been out on a date since I was thirteen. I've been 'Up There' half my life. I'm a little rusty."

"Ok, ok," Piper agreed, "Calm down. I'll tell you whatever you want to know—but don't get mad at me if I'm wrong—I'm married to a dead guy after all."

"I'll take whatever I can get," Pam concluded.

"Leo!" Prue called up to her bedroom ceiling, "Leo, I need you're help!"

Leo orbed in looking expectant and worried.

"Prue what is it?" Leo asked.

"Leo, I want you to see if you can get the Elders to make it so that Andy never died."

"What?" Leo asked as if Prue was joking, "Are you kidding? I can't just do that."

"Leo tomorrow's the club opening. Don't you think that people there might recognize him and know he's dead?"

"Prue the Elders never wanted Andy to come back in the first place. We're lucky they didn't take him back already. Do you _really_ think that they'll help make life easier for him?"

"Leo I just want you to try," Prue pleaded.

"I could get my wings clipped for this, Prue. Are you willing to risk that?"

"Are you willing to risk exposure by someone seeing Andy?" Prue countered.

Leo sighed in defeat before answering his stubborn sister-in-law.

"I'll ask them, Prue," Leo began, "But I can't promise anything."

"That's all I ask," Prue said with her arms folded.

Leo orbed out with a sour look on his face and Prue turned to her bed, hoping it was the right thing to ask for help.

Just then Andy came out of the shower in one of Cole's bathrobes with a concerned look on his face.

"I heard yelling," Andy commented, "What was that about?"

"Nothing," Prue evaded. She smiled, because one look at Andy let her know that she was doing the right thing.

"Just be yourself," Piper advised as she helped Pam get ready for her movie with David.

"What if I don't know who myself is?" Pam questioned.

"Trust me," Piper said, "Just act normal and he'll have to love you."

"What's this loverboy's name anyway?" Piper said as she realized she had no idea who Pam was going out with.

"David," Pam answered promptly.

"David?" Piper repeated, "Last name Donaho by any chance?"

"Ewww," Pam said as she scrunched up her face, "That'd be disgusting."

"Just making sure," Piper laughed, "What's his last name anyway?"

"Blake," Pam answered.

"Oooh…snazzy," Piper laughed, "Does he have directions to the house?" She added.

"He, uh, said that he'd be able to guess which house was ours."

"He what?" Piper asked, rounding on Pam.

"Okay, okay," Pam began, "I know it's a little weird the way he said he could guess where I live and how he kept pushing me to tell him where I grew up and—"

"He did what?" Piper said, tugging on Pam's hair, "Pam—sweetie—I want you to be happy more than anyone else, but did it ever occur to you that this 'David,' might just be a—"

"Don't say it," Pam warned, "Piper Halliwell don't you dare say the'd' word or I swear I'll—"

"All right, all right," Piper backed down, "All I'm saying is that I want you to—"

"Be careful. I know, I know—you don't have to tell me. I'm your older sister, remember? I'm supposed to look out for you."

"How about we all look out for each other?" Piper inquired.

"Deal," Pam agreed.

Just then the doorbell rang and Pam almost jumped out her skin in fright.

"Oh God, oh God Piper, what am I gonna do?" Pam asked, running around frantically.

"Just calm down—relax and you'll be fine, I promise." Piper answered.

"That's easy for you to say, you're not going on your first date in 14 years," Pam shot back.

"I'll greet him at the door so that I can check him out. I want to make sure I approve first," Piper noted.

"That makes sense," Pam complied, "It'll give me a second to compose myself."

"He's a little early, isn't he?" Piper commented, looking at her watch, "Didn't you say he'd be here at 8?"

"Yeah, well maybe he 'found the house' earlier than he thought he would."

Both Pam and Piper went to the door and Piper reached to open it.

"Now remember," Piper said slowly, "Just breathe."

"Alright," Pam complied, standing behind the doorframe so that Piper could greet David first.

Piper opened the door but one look at the person on the other side made her fall to her the ground.

"Piper!" Pam gasped as she came around the doorframe. She stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted the man standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Pam questioned guardedly.

"Please, Pam," Bane spoke, "Just hear me out. I shouldn't have left you—it was a mistake and I'm sorry but I think if you give us one more chance—"

At that moment David came walking up the Manor steps and surveyed the odd scene.

"So I guess I have the right house," He said with a laugh.

"Pam, who's this guy?" He added with a more serious face.

"Me?" Bane questioned, "And who the hell are you?"

"Pam?" The both of them asked in unison.

After an elongated silence Pam was able to choke out one solitary word.

"Help," was the only thing Pam could say.

And she never needed it more.

A/N: OKAY, OKAY, DAMNIT! I PROMISE I'LL STOP WITH THE FILLERS SOON! PROMISE! Was that a filler? (Please review.)


	30. Truthfully

Chapter 30: Truthfully

Disclaimer: Leo's leaving. Enough said.

A/N: So here's another chapter, up within a week as promised. Just a quick little poll-type thing—who do you prefer Pam with: David or Bane?

"Pam," David began, "Do you feel like explaining what's going on?"

"Truthfully?" Pam laughed, "Not really."

"Pam, who is this bozo?" Bane solicited, indicating at David.

"Look buddy," David began to Bane, "I don't know who you are but Pam and I have a date tonight. So if you wouldn't mind—"

"Date?" Bane almost yelled, "With this guy? Pam—you have to be kidding me."

"You know what?" Pam stated, dodging Bane's question and kneeling down to help Piper up, "I need you to leave," She addressed Bane.

"But Pam—" Bane tried

"Go," Pam enforced, trying and failing to get Piper off the ground.

"At least let me help you with her," Bane pleaded, "It doesn't look like you'll be getting her up any time soon."

"Sure…whatever," Pam trailed off as Bane came forward to help her.

"David," Pam chimed with a large and somewhat fake smile on her face, "I'm so sorry about all this—I'll completely understand if you want to cancel for tonight—and tomorrow. It was nice—"

"Nonsense," David beamed, "If anything this has made me want to date you more—if every night with you is going to be this exciting, well then I have a lot to look forward to."

"Really?" Pam smiled, cocking her head to the side.

"Really," David reinforced, "I'll just wait out here on the porch until you're ready."

"Okay," Pam nodded, in much higher spirits than she had been only moments before.

"Come on," Bane said, rolling his eyes, "Let's get her on the couch."

The two of them hoisted Piper onto the living room couch and Pam looked at Bane expectantly.

"Well go then," Pam said, waving an unconcerned hand at Bane.

"Oh come on Pam," Bane begged, "No thank you? No 'Gee Bane, it sure is good to see you—where've you been for the past day and a half?'"

"Well I've been trying to refrain from lying lately, so that discounts everything you just said."

"Is that how it's gonna be with us?" Bane inquired throatily.

"Bane there is no 'us,' you made sure of that," Pam shot.

"Why are you acting like this?" Bane solicited, "Is it because of that Dax guy outside?"

"No it is not because of that 'Dax' guy over there who, by the way, is named David—"

"I don't care what his name is," Bane laughed wryly

"It doesn't matter what you care about!" Pam yelled over Bane, "What—just because you came back I'm supposed to fall into your arms and tell you how much I missed you and profess my everlasting love?"

"I'm not asking—" Bane began.

"It wouldn't work," Pam said sternly, "I don't understand what you don't get about that. You can't just jump from sister to sister when you feel like it—that's not how things are."

"I know that's not how things are—it's not what I want to do," Bane said rather loudly.

"Just—just tell me this," Pam started, "And you need to answer truthfully."

"Whatever you want," Bane stated awfully smugly.

"If Andy hadn't come back—if he wasn't in your way at all—would you still be standing here?"

"Pam…" Bane trailed exasperatedly.

"You said anything," Pam reminded.

"Truthfully?" Bane questioned.

"Uh-huh," Pam said, her arms folded.

"I couldn't say for sure," Bane started, "But truthfully—I don't think I would be."

"That's what I thought," Pam sighed, "Now go."

"Pam, it doesn't change what I feel for you—" Bane started.

"I said go," Pam reinforced, "Don't make me use my powers on you."

"Fine," Bane gave up, raising his hands in defeat, "I'll go out the back way. But believe me—this isn't the last you'll see of me."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Pam jeered.

As soon as she heard the back door close she lowered her voice a bit and summoned some help for Piper.

"Leo," Pam whispered, "Leo I need you—it's Piper."

Leo orbed in with a worried look on his face—much like the one he had worn in Prue's room earlier.

"What is it?" Leo asked, "What happened to her?"

Leo rushed over to Piper and kneeled by her side.

"Nothing," Pam concluded, "She just fainted when Bane came to the door—"

"Bane came to the door?" Leo asked worriedly, "What did he want?"

"Something he can't have," Pam said softly but just loud enough for Leo to hear. He turned his attention to his wife and decided not to further inquire on Bane's time spent in the Manor.

"Piper," he said softly, "Piper, come on—wake up."

Piper began to stir and looked terribly confused when she finally did open her eyes.

"Ugh I really have to stop doing this," Piper said groggily as she rose from the couch.

"Pam where'd Bane go?" Piper said, rounding on her older sister.

"He, uh, left," Pam said uncomfortably. Piper got the message and changed the subject abruptly.

"I'm so sorry about David," Piper said, "Did you guys reschedule or what?"

"Who's David?" Leo commented.

"No, actually he's waiting outside for me," Pam said brightly.

"Really?" Piper said, unbelieving, "That's one impressive date."

"Pam has a date?" Leo questioned.

"Don't act so surprised," Pam and Piper said in unison.

"Speaking of which," Pam continued, "I should probably go and get said date before his legs give out on him."

"Okay," Piper obliged, "I'll see you later tonight."

"Don't wait up," Pam joked as she exited the Manor door and went on her way.

"So," David began across a table for two at a small out-of-town bistro, "What do you do for a living?"

"Besides managing the club?" Pam answered, "I help people who've lost their way find it again."

"So you're a like a guidance counselor?" David tried to clarify.

"In a way, yeah," Pam answered.

"That's nice and vague," David joked.

"Yeah, well it comes along with being reserved," Pam joked back.

"So; not to be intrusive, but who was that guy at your house earlier?" David continued.

"He's just…just someone that's lost his way—except I couldn't help him find it." Pam answered even more vaguely than before.

"Oh," David said bluntly and a bit awkwardly.

"What?" Pam questioned, sensing the fact that David hadn't believed her.

"It's nothing…just I thought I heard him saying something about you two being together…I thought maybe…"

"No," Pam cut David off, "We're…not together. We never were. He's just…it's just a misunderstanding."

David sensed Pam's look of hurt and felt bad for bringing up the subject.

"I'm sorry if he hurt you," David said softly.

"What?" Pam almost yelled, serving as a sharp opposite to the tone of David's voice.

"I said I'm sorry if he hurt you," David repeated.

"Don't be," Pam said a bit roughly, for the feeling that David knew too much about her had returned a bit.

"I guess I'm not doing too well reaching that goal," David said, sounding genuinely sad.

"What are you talking about?" Pam questioned.

"My goal to make you happy—I'm not doing too well on that one."

"Don't be silly," Pam said, her mood rising, "You're doing a fine job—better than most people could, believe me."

"That's certainly gratifying," David smiled.

"What do you say we get out of here?" David continued, "It's getting late—I want to make sure you're rested for our club date tomorrow night."

"Well aren't you thoughtful," Pam laughed.

David paid the check and helped Pam out of her chair. He wrapped Pam's jacket and led her to his car.

The ride back to the Manor was a pleasant one. When David and Pam were finally on the front porch of the manor, Pam was considerably happier than she had been in a while.

"I can't wait for tomorrow night," David commented.

"Surprisingly," Pam began, "Neither can I."

"I'll take that as a compliment," David concluded.

"Here's something you can remember my by until then" Pam stated, handing David the pin that was holding up her hair and turning to the door.

"Wait," David stated, "Didn't you forget something?"

"Umm…no…" Pam said with a raised eyebrow.

"I bed to differ," David challenged.

He then swooped in and gave Pam another one of his amazing kisses.

"Until then," David repeated Pam's words before walking down the front steps and into his car.

Pam walked back into the Manor in a daze only to bump into a pajama-clad Piper.

"He's that good, huh?" Piper laughed.

"Were you spying on me?" Pam said with mock indignation.

"Well I'm just sneaky like that," Piper said with a wave of her hand.

"Jokes aside," Pam started, "He's wonderful. I can't find a thing wrong with him."

"Really Pam?" Piper said happily, "That's wonderful. So do you think you see a long-term relationship with this guy?"

"Truthfully?" Pam began, "I think I'm falling in love."

David walked out of his car and up the steps to his apartment. He walked in and dropped his keys on a table after hanging up his coat on a rack. He went into his bedroom and opened his top drawer.

He pushed some clothes out of the way and slid aside the wood to reveal a secret compartment. Inside was a lone small metal box. He opened it and dropped Pam's hairpin inside after removing some papers.

"Are you sure it's love?" Piper questioned of her oldest sister.

"Love," Pam concluded.

The papers David removed were many different articles, all with a similar headline.

Fourteen Year Old Girl Disappears From Sacramento Home

The articles went on to describe a girl—Pam Recanter—having disappeared from her home after the double murder of her father and mother.

The various articles also included the same color photo of a 14-year-old Pam

"Love?" Piper questioned once more.

"Love," Pam repeated.

David put the articles back in the box and closed the compartment.

"Truthfully."

A/N: If you didn't read Her Destiny you might be a little confused. You might want to just read chapters 3 and 4 to understand what's going on.


	31. Hope

Chapter 31: Hope

Disclaimer: I've missed the last three episodes of Charmed and I'm seriously about a second away from killing someone. That kind of devotion would never come from someone who actually owned the show.

A/N: Okay, here's a new chapter. I kind of want to get a headcount on readers—like just as a general estimate before I end this. So if you're reading and not reviewing right now, that's fine—it'd just be terribly helpful for me if you review just this once so that I can just get a widespread of the people out there reading the fic. I'll say this again at the end of the chapter to remind you guys. Right now the count's at about 2 or 3—or 1—but hey; it's a hard 'nuff life, right? By the way—has anyone gotten the motif yet? Like, yeah, the story's called Things of the Past—but has anyone realized that everything and everyone introduced newly in this story has, in fact, been a 'thing of the past?' That'll give you a bit of insight on who David is if you're wondering about him. But he'll be mostly explained in this chapter anyway. Like I said before, I strongly recommend reading chapters 3 and 4 of Her Destiny if you haven't yet—you might be like, _really_ lost if you don't.

"Wow," Piper breathed, "Pam—you _do_ realize you just met this guy like, 12 hours ago, right?"

"I know, I know," Pam spoke as she made her way up the Manor steps, "It's quick—but you don't understand—he's just so wonderful in that weird quirky way."

"Pam," Piper started with a serious face, "Are you sure you're not mixing some other feeling up with love because of…"

"My lack of experience?" Pam finished, "Maybe…but is that so bad?"

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Piper clarified, "Just let me meet this guy before you get the wedding invitations engraved."

"Promise," Pam laughed, "You know what? I haven't seen the rest of the family all day."

"That's probably because Cole was sulking in his room all day," Piper began, "Phoebe made Andy take him out to a ball game or something…Prue and Phoebe went shopping I think."

"And you stayed in?" Pam questioned.

"Well, yeah," Piper concluded, "Leo's up talking to the Elders about getting Andy's death erased and I'm not really in a shopping mood."

"And why not?" Pam inquired with a smirk.

"I've just been thinking…" Piper trailed off.

"About…"Pam leaded

"The baby, alright!" Piper said, defeated.

"There's a baby?" Pam solicited as her tone of voice dropped a few levels.

"Well…baby to be," Piper said a bit sheepishly.

"Aww," Pam cooed taking a hold of Piper's stomach, "Don't worry…it's coming."

"I hope," Piper said with a hint of anxiety.

"Yeah, well—that's the best we can do," Pam concluded.

"So—earlier," Piper began, "What did Bane want?"

"He just—he went on about how I needed to give the supposed 'us' another chance. Then after I got tired of asking him to leave I decided to ask him if he would've wanted me if Andy never came back—if Prue were just his to have."

"Oh honey," Piper sympathized, guessing what Bane's answer was, "Him and Prue have a history—that doesn't mean what he felt or feels for that matter is somehow cheapened."

"Yeah—that's what he said," Pam laughed, "So you're on his team now?"

"No," Piper huffed, "I bat for team Halliwell. I'm just throwing some ideas out there."

"Yeah, well—I don't see much a future with me and him. And I can't say that I'm sorry about that."

"You sure?" Piper inquired in a motherly tone.

"I'm tired of psychoanalyzing me—let's try Cole," Pam sniped.

"What's there to say about him?" Piper questioned, "He feels guilty about what happened with his mother, so he's sulking. What's so bad about that?"

"Fine," Pam huffed, "Let's talk about the club opening."

"Pam," Piper began, "Throwing out random topics isn't gonna make Bane go away."

"Do you think he might be there?" Pam questioned.

"Where? The club opening?" Piper questioned back.

"Yeah…do you think he might show up?"

"As much as I hate to say it," Piper answered, "There's a good chance he might."

"That's just great," Pam jeered, "That one awkward moment with him and David was just dandy…why not have another one?"

"It won't be that bad," Piper consoled, "We'll be there to back you up."

"I hope," Pam repeated her younger sister's earlier words.

"Come on Cole," Andy prodded, "It wasn't that bad."

"Please," Cole spat, "Watching a bunch of overgrown boys throw around a leather-bound ball for the purpose of hundreds of beer-guzzling yokels to have something to do with their pathetic lives. Why do Americans like this again?"

"Americans happen to like fun things," Andy stated.

"Fun?" Cole laughed, "Maybe if the balls were made out of fire...that'd at least be close to fun."

Andy gave Cole a warning glance—he still didn't trust Cole after the incident with his mother and the fact that the idea of humans having to catch fireballs seemed a joke to him wasn't helping. Cole saw Andy's look and tried to catch himself.

"It was a joke!" Cole exclaimed, "I guess your sense of humor didn't come back from the dead along with you."

Andy gave a small chuckle at the comment as the two got into Piper's car.

"Let's get back home," Andy spoke, "The girls are probably already there."

"Sure," Cole complied, "Just no more baseball games…ever."

"Deal," Andy obliged, started the ignition and driving out of the stadium parking lot.

"Do you think he'll get over it?" Phoebe asked as her and Prue approached the store register.

"Get over what?" Prue questioned.

"His guilt," Phoebe clarified.

"Oh…" Prue trailed off.

"Look Prue," Phoebe began, "I know you've never liked Cole but you can't blame him for what his mother—"

"I don't," Prue cut Phoebe off, "I just don't think it's gonna go away that easily. I'm sure he feels really vulnerable right now. If his mother could make him hurt you that easily I bet he's wondering what any other demon could do to him. He just needs some time."

"Yeah I guess," Phoebe concluded as she loaded her things onto the counter to be checked out.

"Let's get out of here," Prue stated, "The boys are probably already there."

"You know what?" Phoebe started as they got into Prue's car, "I haven't seen Pam all day."

"Me neither…" Prue realized as well, "Do you even know where she is?"

"Yeah," Phoebe answered, "She's out on a date."

"What?" Prue almost screamed.

"Well don't act so surprised," Phoebe laughed.

"A date?" Prue questioned more quietly, "So soon after…"

"She moving on," Phoebe said seriously, "We should let her."

Prue held back the urge to inquire further on Pam's date or voice her concerns on Pam's forwardness with men so soon after the Bane fiasco.

"Do not ask again," An Elder spoke in a fierce tone.

"But please," Leo tried to convince them to change the terms of Andy's second existence.

"The mortal Andrew Trudeau will remain as he is until we see fit," another Elder spoke, "If you request further on the matter we'll use our power to make measures very hard for you and your family Leo."

"But exposure," Leo tried once more.

"Exposure," the first Elder interrupted, "Will be no fault of ours. This is in your hands and your hands only. You will be held responsible for any and all infractions caused by this mortal's continuation in your world."

"Leave us now," the Elder continued.

"Please," Leo spoke once more.

"One word further and Mr. Trudeau will not be the only one to suffer," the Elder concluded.

Leo stopped talking abruptly, knowing what the Elder meant through his not-so-subtle threat. With one more pleading look at the Council of Elders Leo orbed back down to the Manor to deliver the bad news to Prue at his own expense.

"Leo," Prue called softly from the same place she had earlier, "Leo—have they given you an answer yet?"

Leo orbed down into Prue's room with a surly yet sympathetic look on his face.

"Prue," Leo began, "I can't—I'm sorry. They won't erase Andy's death—they won't do a thing."

"But Leo," Prue tried, "Can't you do anything?"

"Prue," Leo repeated wearily, "I've already done too much. They've not only threatened to clip my wings—they threatened the whole family."

For a long moment Prue just stared at Leo a bit dumbstruck. After recovering from the shock of his words Prue pieced together enough words to make a sentence.

"They…they what?" Prue questioned, "How can they…they can't just do that Leo! Please tell me they can't."

"Prue you know as well as I do they can do whatever the hell the please…and they will."

"But just for you asking—that's not fair!" Prue yelled indignantly.

"What don't you understand about this Prue!" Leo yelled back, "He's messing with life and death, alright? Life and death Prue! Did you really think they were just gonna let him get away with it!"

"No…" Prue began sheepishly, "Leo I know Andy's not supposed to be here—but he is. And I don't know about you but I want him to stay here. But I don't want magic to suffer for it either. You don't have to tell me that that's having my cake and eating it too—but after all the crap they've put us through don't you think that maybe—just _maybe_ I can be allowed this little shred of happiness?"

"You can't even hear yourself speak, can you?" Leo snorted, "Prue of course I want you to be happy. You're my family—what else would I want for you? But this is the entire magical world we're talking about. And that goes way beyond family."

"I understand the ramifications of the situation, _Leo_," Prue spoke snottily, taking high offense at Leo's comment and demeanor, "And I'm sorry they're so ticked off—but what do you want me to do? Send him away? Kill him? I don't even think you know what you want me to do. I don't know what I _can_ do. So until the Elders decide to make their move I guess we'll just have to watch our backs."

"Well," Leo said curtly, "Until then. For the sake of you, Andy and the rest of this family, I hope we all make it 'until then.' And I hope you know what you're risking."

Leo turned to leave and gave a gruff laugh much unlike his normal attitude. He turned back to Prue for a second as he said his last words.

"Hope," Leo laughed before orbing out of sight.

Prue turned back to her bed with a burden larger than she thought she could carry on her heart. A few tears fell as she sat down, trying to think up a way to make things right again.

In all her thoughts, she didn't see Andy, who had been outside her bedroom door—having heard every word she and Leo had spoken.

The next night at the club re-opening Prue decided to stay home with Andy to avoid not only exposure but the awkward situations that may have occurred between Andy and Leo. She also knew how important the club opening was to Pam and Piper and didn't want a strike from the Elders to ruin it.

"Look at that crowd," Piper beamed to Leo, Cole, Phoebe, and Pam from behind the stage curtain, "Can you believe we really did this?"

"I just handled the financial stuff Piper," Pam replied, patting her sister on the back, "This is all you."

"Don't say that," Piper said abruptly, "You'll make me nervous—and when I get nervous I hyperventilate and when I hyperventilate I faint—and if I faint—"

"Sssh," Leo solaced, wrapping an arm around his wife, "Just be calm—everything will be fine. Just stand back and look at the masterpiece you've created."

Piper smiled warmly before a thought crossed her mind.

"I wish Prue could've been here with us," Piper said thoughtfully, "Why did her and Andy stay home again?"

"She said something about wanting to spend a night alone," Phoebe answered, "She was kind of cryptic about it."

"It's for the better," Leo said before he could stop himself. With odd looks from everyone around him he jumped to correct his words, "That is to say," Leo altered, "It's good for them to have a night to themselves—you know—while they still can."

"That's the same mysterious mumbo-jumbo Prue fed me earlier," Phoebe spoke, "Now either you two know something we don't or you just took the same crazy pills with breakfast this morning. I'm willing to bet its door number one. Fess up Mister," Phoebe finished, pointing an accusatory finger at Leo.

"I don't know anything you don't," Leo lied calmly, "I just think it's important for them to be alone when they can—you know; with out hectic lives and all."

Even though Phoebe held a lingering look of suspicion Leo turned away from her and continued talking to Piper.

"The band will be coming on stage soon," he reminded, "Let's step aside and let them work their magic."

"Yeah I have to go meet David at the door anyway," Pam spoke up, "I don't wanna keep him waiting."

"You vixen you," Piper joked, "I'll come with you—I want to meet this guy."

The whole of them walked off the stage, Phoebe keeping a chary eye on Leo the entire time.

"Hey David," Pam beamed as she handed David his pass, "This is my sister—"

"Piper," David finished, "The unconscious one."

"Nice to know I made an impression," Piper laughed, although she had that same foreboding feeling about David that Pam had had so often when she was with him. Pam could tell Piper felt this way behind her smile and jumped to end the coming awkward moment before it started.

"So," Pam began, steering David in the opposite direction, "I have a booth for you and me over here."

"Yeah…" Piper trailed off uneasily, "I need to go check to see if the band's all ready."

She walked away rather quickly after directing a look at Pam as if to say 'watch yourself.'

Pam and David went over to their booth and David put on a large and seemingly genuine smile.

"So, happy to see me?" David solicited.

"Of course I am…"Pam began, but trailed off as she saw the one thing she wasn't looking forward to about the night.

"Bane," Pam finished as she saw the man in question make his way down the club steps.

"Not exactly the response I was looking for," David said a bit sternly, even though he had meant to be humorous.

"No," Pam tried to correct herself, "It's just…"

David turned his head to the direction in which Pam was looking and saw the same man that had almost ruined his date with Pam the night before.

"Oh," David said bluntly, "Look Pam—if you and that guy—you and Bane—if you're together or—"

"We're not," Pam said quickly, her eye still on Bane, who had just spotted her and David and was coming over in increasing speed.

"Pam," David started a bit sadly, "I think I should leave."

"No," Pam said as she rose from her seat and took David's arm to rise with her, "Follow me."

Pam led David—rather quickly—to the back room of the club. She weaved through the crowd in such haste that she ensured that Bane would have a hard time finding them if he ever did.

"Okay—now that I'm back here are you going to have your way with me?" David joked even though he had a stony face in place.

"David," Pam tried.

"Before you say anything," David interrupted, "I just want you to know that I really want this to work—you and me. So if you're going to tell me you want this to be over I'm just going to tell you no. Because I really think that this could be something."

Pam could do nothing but stand there and smile at the man she'd only met the day before.

"Here," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the hairpin Pam had given him and not seeing the small piece of paper that had fallen out of it, "I want this to show you that I'll always be here for you. I won't leave you hurting or keep anything away from you. Whatever I take I'll give back. I want us to be honest with each other. I just hope—"

"Hold on," Pam cut David off, "You dropped something."

"Wait," David said, reaching to stop Pam as his voice took on a terribly alarmed tone.

Pam bent down and retrieved the piece of paper. She stopped in mid rise as she recognized the paper as an article with a picture of her 13 years earlier.

"What the hell is this?" Pam inquired, now leveling with David.

"Pam—I can explain!" David pleaded.

"You want us to be honest with each other?" Pam laughed, "Then tell me why you have this—this…"Pam trailed off in anger as she waited for an answer.

"I—I didn't want you to find out like this. I thought you may have remembered me by now. I knew you when you were younger—I went to school with you."

"Wait," Pam said with her eyebrows scrunched up a bit, "David…David Blake. You were that jock—that guy I _hated_."

"Yeah," David laughed, "That was me. I never told you—but I had the biggest crush on you. So when you disappeared I started to collect all the articles about you. I tried to solve the mystery—find you. I thought that there had to be more than the newspapers were letting on—with the double murder and all—I just hoped that I'd find you."

"I tried for years—I never gave up. But then one day about a year ago—out of the blue—I forgot about the case. Suddenly a voice in the back of my mind was telling me that I knew you as a sister to the Halliwells and you were never missing. Only I still had all the articles saying your name was Pam Recanter and that you'd been missing for 13 years. I went to all these different police stations, but none of them had record of the case. That's when I knew something—something odd was going on. So after a lot of thought, I moved from Sacramento to San Francisco and came to find you. Yesterday was when I finally plucked up the courage to approach you. I was going to ask you about the case and why your name was changed and what the hell was going on—but I couldn't. I—I just saw you and you looked so beautiful and sad. That's when I remembered why I'd been looking for you in the first place."

"You lying little bastard," Pam said, crying slightly, "You knew who I was and yet you pretended not to? This whole time you asked me questions about where I grew up and my childhood—just so you could solve some little mystery? I can't believe I trusted you! I can't believe I thought I—"

"No," David implored, "It's not like that—not at all. Pam I've been looking for you because I—because I realized I lo—"

"Don't say it," Pam yelled, crying a bit harder, "Don't you _dare_ say it."

"I love you!" David yelled despite Pam's wishes, "I've loved you for as long as I can remember. And I hope—"

"You better hope I don't beat the crap out of you for this," Pam incorrectly finished David's sentence.

"Pam," David tried.

"Get out of my club," Pam said softly but sternly through her tears.

"I—" David tried once more.

"Get out!" Pam repeated, this time yelling louder than a human should be able to.

David opened his mouth to say something but shut it almost as quick. He bowed his head and spoke softly as he exited.

"I hope you can love me too," David finished his earlier sentence as he left the door slightly ajar upon his exit.

As soon as David had left Pam fell to her knees and cried. She cried mostly because she knew David didn't deserve the way she'd treated him. After a moment she jerked her head up at the sound of someone entering the room.

She looked up and saw Bane with a sympathetic look on his face.

"I came in here to find you," Bane stated coming right next to Pam, "I heard crying and I came hoping I could make things better."

"Bane," Pam said quietly as she rose to meet Bane.

"I know you don't want me to be here," Bane began, "But I—"

Bane words were cut off as Pam kissed him—hard. She knew she didn't really want to—and she knew she didn't love Bane. But all she wanted to do was make David feel betrayed the way she did.

Pam kissed Bane—all the while with the hope that she was doing the right thing.

A/N: So like I said earlier, please review just to let me know whose reading. I know that I was a bit late on the update—it's just with Turkey Day and all I didn't have time to write. I'll be better with the next one. Damn that was a long chapter. Anywho, please review and give suggestions and all that good stuff. Until next time, LeoPiperAndyPrue.


	32. What's Right

Chapter 32: What's Right

Disclaimer: Well—Leo's gone. Since I'll be heading off on a crusade to slit Brad Kern's throat in his sleep before gutting him like a summer bass, I'm obviously not anyone who has to be around him enough to own the show.

A/N: Damn, sorry it took so long to update. As you know if you read my other active fic, it's just since I'm getting off for holiday soon my teachers give me un-Godly amounts of work to do. Anywho, hope this was worth waiting for.

"Is that David?" Phoebe solicited; pointing to a man that fit the description of David that Pam had laid out to her, "Leaving?"

"Yeah…" Piper leaded as she watched David make his way up the stairs and out the front entrance of the club.

"Without Pam?" Phoebe continued, "That doesn't look like a good sign. Maybe we should go look for her."

"You're right," Piper complied, her face wrinkling with worry, "I don't want her to miss the band."

The two sisters broke away from the crowd and began to weave through the maze of people.

"Pam," Bane began, breaking away from the girl in question, "What are you doing?"

Bane recognized the vulnerability in the girl's eyes and knew she didn't mean what she'd just done.

"Only what's right," Pam breathed, all the while knowing she didn't mean it in the slightest.

"No see that's the thing," Bane continued, "It's _not_ right. You don't want this," Bane commented, "Believe me—I do. But I don't want it to happen like this. I want you to want me because you actually do—not because you're trying to get back at some guy."

Pam thought on Bane's words for a quick moment before breaking out into an appreciative smile.

"Anyone ever tell you how big a man you are?" Pam solicited with her smile still in place.

"Yeah, I've been told before," Bane laughed, "Here—how about I take you back to my place to get something to eat and then I'll bring you home."

"Sure," Pam obliged, "But no funny business Mister."

Only a minute after Pam and Bane exited the room from its back door did Piper and Phoebe enter to try and find their older sister. After a minute of looking around Piper's phone rang and she jumped to answer it.

"Are you okay?" Piper spoke into her phone.

"Who is it?" Phoebe questioned.

"Shush," Piper said, waving a hand at her younger sister.

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Piper asked of the person on the other end of the line, "Okay. I'll see you in a little bit."

Piper hung up her phone and turned to Phoebe.

"It was Pam," Piper spoke, but seemed to be far away in thought, "She says she'll see us at the Manor later."

"Well where's she right now?" Phoebe asked.

"She with…" Piper began, "…Bane."

"What?" Phoebe yelled indignantly, "It's not enough that he already got to Prue—why won't that piece of trash leave us Halliwells alone?"

"Phoebe," Piper said sternly, shooting a warning glance at her sister.

"Fine, whatever," Phoebe concluded, waving a hand in exhaustion, "But you can't argue that that guy's caused much more trouble than happiness to the people in our family.

"I guess…" Piper trailed off, "Come on—let's get out there before Chevelle goes on."

"Fine, change the subject," Phoebe grumbled to herself.

Piper started out the room and Phoebe followed behind. They came in and took places next to their respective men just as the band struck up their first chord.

"Prue," Andy started quietly as they both sat in the living room watching a movie, "Has it occurred to you how long it's been since we've been able to do this?"

"6 years," Prue answered, "3 months, 2 days, and 20 minutes."

Andy looked at her with both surprise and glee as a large smile played across his face.

"Give or take a few seconds, of course," Prue continued.

"Well it had to be more than that," Andy commented with a laugh, "I mean, with Phoebe and Piper and Leo always running around we hardly ever got to go on a date back then."

"You're right," Prue complied, "But the important thing is now we're here together."

"For now," Andy said in a quiet but gruff voice.

"What'd you just say?" Prue inquired, sitting up as to look at Andy straight.

"Prue," Andy said seriously, "I heard you and Leo talking earlier. I know what the Elders said about me…about the family. And I—"

"Stop," Prue said abruptly, just about jumping up from the couch, "Don't say it—"

"Prue, I have to," Andy said, rising to meet Prue and taking her in his arms, "Prue I can't be that selfish. The only way for the rest of the family to be safe is for me to…"

"Don't," Prue cut Andy off once more, "I just found you…I shouldn't have to loose you…not again."

"I know," Andy agreed, "It's not fair, not for either of us. But it's the only way. Prue, I have to give myself up to them—I have to go back—"

"No," Prue said, starting to cry, "Remember what you said—remember, you told me you weren't going anywhere; that you weren't leaving? Andy you're not leaving. You just can't be leaving… "

"I know," Andy tried, "I know what I said. But Prue I don't know what else to do. It's my job to protect the innocent…both our jobs, Prue. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do this. It just wouldn't be right—I have to do what's right."

"I don't want you to go," Prue sobbed, "I need you here with me…I need you."

When Prue's words were lost in her crying Andy led her upstairs and laid her down in her bed, not sure he'd be there to greet her in the morning.

"Are you sure Pam said she'd meet us at the Manor?" Phoebe questioned as she, Piper, Cole, and Leo made their way out of the club many hours later.

"Yeah," Piper said through a yawn, "She should be there by now. It's…" Piper took Leo's arm to look at his watch and her eyes widened.

"Five o'clock?" Piper yelled, "Leo, is your watch fast?"

"Nope," Leo answered simply, "I guess it got later…or earlier I guess, than we thought."

"Congratulations," Cole bellowed to Piper in a comical manner, "You've had your first successful night as a club owner and manager. What are you going to do next?"

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to say I'm going to Disney World?" Piper asked groggily.

"No, it's _the part_ where you're supposed to give yourself a pat on the back and let me drive home," Leo answered sweetly.

"That would be nice," Piper said, half-asleep.

"Wait," Phoebe commented as the four of them loaded into Piper's car, "Are you _sure_ that Pam said she'd meet us back at the Manor?"

"YES," Piper emphasized, "I'm _sure_ that's what she told me."

"Well I'm calling her just in case," Phoebe concluded.

"Fine," Piper waved a hand, "Do what you want, see if I care…"

At Cole's raised eyebrow at Piper's offhandedness Phoebe and Leo jumped to answer his unasked question in unison.

"Piper gets grumpy when she's sleepy," the both of them said, receiving an understanding nod from Cole.

"I'm NOT grumpy," Piper said indignantly through her slumber.

"See what we mean?" Phoebe concluded as Leo drove them out of the lot.

Phoebe took out her phone and dialed her older sister's number before waiting patiently for Pam to pick up.

Pam's arm shot out from under the sheets and onto the dresser next to her. She fumbled a bit but after a second she retrieved her phone and picked it up.

"H—hello?" Pam inquired from the person on the other side of the line.

"Hey Pam?" Phoebe inquired with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah," Pam answered, "Pheebs?"

"Yeah, it's me," Phoebe replied, a little concerned that Pam didn't recognize her voice immediately.

"We're, uh, on our way to the Manor," Phoebe continued.

"Great," Pam chimed, though whispering, "I'll see you soon."

"So you're at the Manor?" Phoebe inquired.

"Yeah, of course I am," Pam answered so quickly it didn't take someone as perceptive as Phoebe to tell it was a lie.

"Okay…" Phoebe leaded, obviously not believing Pam, "We'll see you there."

"Okay," Pam repeated her sister's words, "See you there."

Phoebe hung up her phone with a concerned look on her face.

"What did she say?" Cole asked her.

"She said she'd see us there," Phoebe answered with a shrug, not sure what to think of the odd conversation.

Pam hung up her phone and dropped it back down on the dresser she'd taken it off of. She looked around in the dim light of the early morning at where she was with confusion on her face. She thought hard on her surroundings before drawing a complete blank. But after a second something occurred to her that seemed almost impossible.

"No," she said to herself, "Oh no…this can't be happening…it can't be right."

After a long moment of hesitation Pam rolled over and confirmed her suspicions of where she was.

Pam rolled over and saw the sleeping figure that was Bane Jessup—the last thing that was right.

A/N: SO INCREDIBLY SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE. The next one will be up sooner. Please review.


	33. For the Time Being

Chapter 33: For the Time Being

Disclaimer: Confucius say: "Anyone with the patience to put up with the BS put out by Brad Kern is someone far from anyone on his payroll."

A/N: So like I said it's here on time and everything. Just a heads up, Things of the Past has exactly seven more chapters left (including this one) and it's up to you all if you want a third story. So put in your votes or what have you so that you can be counted in the decision of continuing or not continuing this story.

"This can't be real," Pam mumbled to herself as she fumbled out of what appeared to be Bane's bed, "This CAN'T be happening."

Pam hopped around the room in search of her shoes and jacket. When she found the objects is question she grabbed her phone and purse from the bedside table where they had previously been and turned to Bane.

"Goodbye," she whispered, "I'm so sorry for this."

With a bit of a sad smile Pam wiped a stray hair from Bane's face and orbed out.

Pam arrived in her room only moments later and took it upon herself to creep around the house to see who was home. After seeing that both Piper and Phoebe's rooms were empty she sighed in relief to know she beat the rest of her family home. Assuming that Prue and Andy had since gone to sleep Pam then tip-toed down the steps just in time to see Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Cole come in looking hopelessly sleepy.

"Hey, guys!" Pam chimed after recovering from the initial shock of the foursome's entrance.

"Whoa keep it down," Cole waved a hand at Pam; "You _do_ know it's like 5:30 in the morning, right?"

"Heh, sorry," Pam laughed nervously.

"So how was you guys' night…morning?" Pam solicited.

"Great," Phoebe said through her sleepy demeanor, "Although I'm not so sure I'm awake right now."

"How about you?" Piper asked in return, "You got out of the club so quick I never got a chance to ask you what happened."

"Oh you know," Pam laughed, trying to shrug the question off, "We just had a bad date—nothing serious. It just didn't work out."

Piper got the feeling that there was much more to Pam's story than she was allowing. She also sensed that whatever that other story was it wasn't something she was about to announce to half the family. She silently resolved to get the real version of the night's events later and accepted what Pam had told her for the time being.

"So how long have you been here?" Leo spoke up as the group gravitated towards the Living room.

"Oh, hours," Pam embellished to a great extent with the same nervous laugh she'd exhibited at the group's entrance into the Manor.

"Really?" Phoebe solicited.

"Really," Pam answered matter-of-factly.

"You've been here for hours and you never changed out of your clothes?" Phoebe elaborated, trying to get a genuine answer rather than simply bust Pam's lie.

Pam stared open-mouthed at the group for a painfully awkward silence before stammering into an answer.

"W—well," Pam stuttered, "I just—this dress is _so _comfortable—I just kind of sat down in it and read for a while…while I was waiting for you guys to get back and tell me how your night went."

"…Oh, OK…." Cole trailed off, obviously implying that he neither believe Pam nor thought her explanation plausible.

"So where are Andy and Prue?" Piper inquired after a short moment of silence.

"Oh they're…asleep," Pam hesitated, "Been that way for hours."

"Yep," Pam continued, waving her hands around emphatically, "I just checked on the two lovebirds. They're sound asleep—"

Just as Pam was launching into her latest lie Andy entered the Living room from kitchen with an expectant face in place.

Everyone watched Andy come in and Andy looked increasingly confused as to why everyone seemed so interested in his entrance into the room.

"Hey," Andy drawled, "I heard you all come in and I thought I'd come out and say hi. Did I miss something?"

"'Sound asleep,' huh?" Cole mimicked.

"Well…" Pam trailed flustered, "I meant that _Prue_ was sound asleep. Andy had woken up and—and gone into the kitchen to get…"

Andy has sensed that Pam was trying to hide something, and, like Piper silently decided to get the real story later and cover for Pam for the time being.

"Something to eat," Andy finished Pam's sentence.

Unfortunately, he did so at the same moment that Pam had blurted out "Something to drink."

The smile faded off Andy's face as well as Pam's as they both jumped to correct the mutual mistake.

"Something to drink," Andy commented in unison with Pam's "Something to eat."

After a quick and slightly aggravated glance at Andy, Pam broke out in panicky laughter amidst the confused faces of the four family members sitting across from them in the Living room.

"Well that was fun," Piper chimed, trying to end the awkward moment and the silent turn it had currently taken, "But I think I speak for everyone when I say it's time we all get some sleep."

"Yeah," Leo jumped to agree, "Sounds like a great idea."

Phoebe and Cole threw in their compliances as the whole of them made their way upstairs. After a bit of a knowing look at Pam, Andy went up after the group, leaving Pam alone in the room.

Pam breathed out a sigh of relief and dropped back down on the couch, happy that she at least got through one conversation without confessing how she'd actually spent her morning.

Hours later the Halliwell home faced a late rise as, excluding Prue, everyone had only lain down after the sun had already risen.

Prue had gotten up early and taken the time to attempt to make breakfast for everyone as well as try and brainstorm alternatives to Andy's plan to return to the Elders.

The family collectively stumbled into the kitchen around noon and was met with the aroma of a Prue-made breakfast.

"What's that smell?" Andy said slowly, not fully awake yet.

"Brunch!" Prue said excitedly with a large and innocent looking smile on her face.

"For who?" Cole inquired throatily, "The guys on death row?"

Prue shot an icy look at Cole and he jumped to correct himself.

"I mean it smells _delicious_," Cole boomed over exuberantly, clearly not meaning what he'd said.

Pam, Piper, Phoebe, Andy, and Leo snickered at the exchange of words as they all moved into the Dining room at the table Prue had already set for them.

"Pam," Prue spoke as she took a seat next to her older sister, "David called for you earlier—it sounded urgent."

Pam halted at the mention of David's name. Her heart gave a lurch of guilt at the thoughts of what she'd done last night in spite of the fact that he hadn't really done anything wrong.

"He left his number," Prue continued as Pam shook off her temporary paralysis and tried to act as everything was alright.

"Oh," Pam said bluntly.

"So who is this guy?" Prue continued, not knowing any of what had happened after the rest of the family had left for the club the previous night, "I've never met him—I want to know if he's good enough for my older sister."

"He's…uh…" Pam stammered.

"Gee Prue what's in these eggs?" Piper chimed, making it so that Pam didn't have to answer.

Pam gave an appreciative look and smile to Piper that Prue took notice of. Prue knew enough about her sisters to know that there was something going on that she shouldn't inquire further on and, for the time being, decided to go along with Piper's obvious diversionary tactic.

"I put some basil," Prue answered smoothly, "And a little bit of Cayenne pepper."

Right then Cole spit out the eggs he was eating and received looks from the entire table, Prue's being the coldest.

"A _little_ Cayenne pepper?" Cole choked.

"Okay," Prue huffed, "Maybe a tad over a little."

"A tad?" Cole said in a disbelieving tone, "I think I liked the last breakfast better—the fire in my mother's cave wasn't anything compared to these things."

The whole of the table laughed while Prue cocked her head to the side as if to wonder if Cole had really said that.

Phoebe hit Cole in the ribs and stifled laughter long enough to try to cover up Cole's somewhat rude retort.

"Well I happen to love Cayenne pepper," Phoebe pronounced, "And thank you Prue for making this wonderful meal for all of us."

Everyone else threw in their similar thanks with large smiles.

After about half an hour passed Andy got up from the table with a bright face on.

"Hey I'm heading for the kitchen," Andy announced, "Anyone want me to take their plates for them?"

"That's okay Andy, I'll clear the table. You can sit back down," Piper offered.

Andy was about to sit down when a thought occurred to him.

"Actually, I think I'll go upstairs and change out of these clothes," Andy commented.

"That's a good idea," Prue stated, "I'll meet you up there in a second."

"Okay," Andy smiled before heading up the stairs.

As soon as he was out of sight Andy turned up the landing, went in the opposite direction of Prue's room and headed for the attic.

Once he reached the Book of Shadows Andy started to leaf through it frantically in search of the page on the Elders. Once he got to it he spoke in a remorseful yet reassured voice to the ceiling above him.

"I know you don't want me to have this second life," Andy shouted "I know you've threatened me and my family. So I know that it's time for me to come back to you—it's time for me to return to where I came from. Take me—I'm ready."

Just in that moment Andy was enveloped in purple orbs.

He then appeared in front of a council of Elders.

A/N: So just remember what I said at the beginning of the chapter about the end of Things of the Past. Please review so that your thoughts and ideas can be counted and what not.


	34. Leo's Promise

Chapter 34: Leo's Promise

Disclaimer: My husband is a popsicle.

A/N: WOW. I'm _so _sorry it took me so incredibly long to update. It's ridiculous how long I took. Sorry again.

No more than ten minutes later Prue entered her room with a smile on her face.

"Andy," she called out happily, "Come on—the rest of the family's waiting for us. Piper wants us to come to P3. Something about watching the sound check for tonight's band."

Prue walked farther into her room and looked around a bit. The more steps she took the more her smile faded as a thought occurred to her.

"_Prue, I have to give myself up to them—I have to go back—"_

"Andy!" Prue yelled, quickly running into her bathroom to check for him. When she assured herself that no one was in there she sprinted up the attic stairs as fast as her legs would carry.

"Did you hear something?" Cole intoned with an odd look on his face.

"Yeah," Phoebe concurred, "Why don't you go check what it is?"

"Ugh," Piper rolled her eyes, "If I have to vanquish a demon and _then_ go to that sound check I'm gonna—"

"I'll go," Leo smiled, "No demons, alright? I promise. The club's full of enough of them."

Leo orbed out and into the attic to find Prue crying over the Book.

"Prue, what happened?" Leo asked in a concerned manner, moving towards her and the Book.

"He left…" Prue choked out, indicating towards the Book.

"Who left?" Leo inquired. He looked down at the Book and upon seeing it turned to the page on the Elders immediately answered his own question.

"Oh, God," Leo breathed. He ran over to Prue and embraced her; blaming himself every second.

Andy looked around in awe at the blinding light of the area he had been dropped into.

"Why do you call out to us mortal?" An Elder asked in a foreboding tone.

"We—we had a deal," Andy spoke, "And I know—I know I broke it."

"Oh, so you realize that?" The Elder laughed wryly, "Then does that mean you remember the unspeakable wrath we promised to bestow upon you if you were to break the 'deal' we had?"

"Yes," Andy spoke a bit impatiently, "But it was never my intention going in," Andy continued, "I never meant to leave like that. But I _had to_. I know all of you are wise and heavenly and know everything about well; everything—but then you should know that I love Prue more than fear of some 'unspeakable wrath' could hinder."

"If this love is so strong, Trudeau," Another Elder began, "Why are you standing here before us?"

"Well," Andy started, "I messed up. I went back on something and that's not the kind of person I am. I was scared before—scared of losing her. But now—now I'm ready."

"Ready for what, exactly?" The same Elder asked.

"Well for lack of a better term," Andy swallowed, "The unspeakable wrath."

"Prue this is all my fault," Leo apologized, "I didn't know he'd go back like this—"

"It's not you're fault," Prue countered, "Just—just tell me it's not too late," Prue sobbed.

"I promise," Leo spoke, "Let's go get everyone else."

As he Led Prue out of the attic and down to the others he spoke deprecatingly under his breath.

"I guess Piper's gonna miss that sound check."

"What do you mean he left?" Piper hollered upon Leo and Prue issuing the rest of the family the news of Andy's MIA status.

"When I went to go ask the Elders if they could make it so that Andy never died they told me that they weren't going to do a thing," Leo filled in.

"What?" Pam said, disbelieving, "But what about exposure?"

"It tried that," Leo breathed impatiently, "They said that exposure was no fault of their. They said that if anything were to happen, I'd be responsible."

"Well Leo did you try to reason with them?" Piper almost shouted.

"Of course I did," Leo said exasperatedly, surprised that Piper had to ask, "But they said if I tried anything else, Andy wouldn't be the only one to suffer."

The group went silent much like Prue had done when Leo first told her what had happened.

"And that's what Andy heard," Prue said, trying to sound like she was taking charge and failing miserably.

The Elder that had Andy had addressed sat with a bemused sort of amusement on his face.

"Is that what you really want?" The Elder spoke.

"What I want," Andy began somewhat flippantly, "Is to be back with my family and not have your threats hovering over my shoulder. But I know that's not really an option. I don't go back on what I say. So assuming you meant what you said, I'm here to get what's meant for me. That's all."

"Well then," a different Elder said, "So be it."

"Then it's decided," Phoebe said, "Leo, you go make the appeal again. Just keep them talking until you can get some idea of what they've done with Andy. A location, some physical action; anything. When they give some hint, Pam will take Leo's appearance and come in as him while the real Leo will go and try to act on what they've said. Then Pam as Leo will tell them that we'll expose ourselves and all of magic beyond the point of repair if they don't erase Andy's death and return him consequence free. Then," Phoebe concluded, "We'll just have to see what happens."

"What do the rest of us do?" Prue asked.

"We need to stay down here," Phoebe answered, "In case Andy comes back. Or, you know—in case the Elders decide to start that suffering they were talking about."

"Sounds like an awfully shaky plan to me," Cole commented, "Isn't there a better way to do this? I mean right now we're just going off blind instinct and chance. There has to some way for us to make sure we get Andy back."

"I wish there was," Pam said simply, "But this is our best shot. If the Elders don't respond to this I don't know what else we can do."

"Let's worry about that later," Piper spoke up, "For now we need to focus on this."

"Right," Pam nodded, "Well let's go then."

Leo orbed into the familiar blinding white atmosphere and swallowed all his pride as he approached the main hall where he knew the Elders would most likely be deliberating over Andy's punishment. As he entered, he noticed that there were considerable less Elders than he expected to be there. Leo swallowed once more as he steppe forward.

"He's coming back," Leo affirmed resolutely.

One Elder rose from their spot among the others with an indignant face on.

"What _are_ you here for now, Leo?" He spoke.

"I'm not leaving until I get him back," Leo replied, "I promise."


	35. They've Done It

Chapter 35: They've Done It

Disclaimer: As we see the end has come, we turn to remnants of the show that will keep it alive. Now seeing as Brian's been given the boot and only returned for the Series Finale, Holly's postponing her acting career for some time to be a full-time mother, and Shannen hasn't equaled Charmed in oh, say, five years; all we have to turn to is Ch Rose's new Tarantino flick, Milanho's many un-read movie scripts, and oh God, don't make me say it—Kaley Cuoco's unnamed sitcom about _sisters_. Please; _please_—shoot me now.

A/N: If you read Pride, Patience, Perceptibility, and Pain then you already know what's been keeping this update away for so long. Basically, blame my Crew coaches if you for some strange reason happen upon them some day. Oh and also, there are exactly six chapters left(including this one,) so pay some close attention to what's happening and give me a head's up if you want this to seep into a trilogy.

"He came to us," An Elder spoke up against Leo's declaration, "It is now no business of yours what we do with him."

"The hell it isn't," Leo rebutted, "He's my family, dammit! He came to you because he was afraid for me—for all of us. He never would've called out to you if you hadn't threatened us. But it wasn't his fault; none of it was his fault. He's gone through more for you people then you'll ever know. He shouldn't be punished for being a good man;—he shouldn't be punished for loving someone. Please; send him back to us."

Leo's words seemed to have a sobering, maybe even remorseful affect on the Elders, and after a moment one spoke up.

"As earnest as your requests may be," a different, female Elder stated, "Andy agreed to our unspeakable wrath; and therefore received what he asked for."

Leo could tell that the Elder was trying to hint at something, but couldn't tell what.

"We have sent Andy to _his_ ultimate suffering," The Elder added, raising an eyebrow to indicate her direction, "No _family_ can pull him back from it."

Leo finally caught on to what the Elder was allocating towards and nodded slightly, but just enough for another Elder to take notice of.

"Enough," the other Elder spoke firmly, "Leave us, Leo—you have _no more business_ here."

"B—" Leo began his foe declaration of indignation. At the same moment he doubled over in pain; falling behind a pillar just being him.

"What's the meaning of this?" The second Elder solicited, "What's the matter with you Leo?"

"A charge!" Leo hollered in mock pain, "She's in trouble."

As soon as Leo had made his way behind the pillar and of out the sight of the council he called out quietly to Pam.

"Now," he said in short, grunted phrases, "Come up now!"

"Leo," The same Elder shouted, "Show yourself to us!"

Just at that moment Pam orbed up beside Leo behind the pillar. She took Leo's appearance almost as soon as she appeared and listened to Leo's few words before his departure.

"I've think I've figured out what they've done with Andy. Keep them going—threaten them with exposure. I just need some time to find him."

"Alright," Pam agreed, "Go quickly, I'll try and stall."

With Pam's last words Leo orbed out and Pam stepped forward with Leo's appearance.

"What charge do you speak of?" An Elder inquired with anger.

"The kind that the Charmed Ones won't get a chance to save if you keep Andy away from them," Pam answered.

"What nonsense are you talking about now?" The same Elder solicited.

"Exposure," Pam answered in her best impression of Leo's voice, "That's what I'm talking about. The Charmed Ones are ready and able to exposure you, themselves, demons—_all _of it if you don't return Andy."

"You wouldn't," a different Elder spoke up haughtily.

"Yes they would," The Elder who had been speaking before commented, "They wouldn't hesitate to do it. Them and their whole selfish clan—I wouldn't put it past them to sacrifice the whole magical community for something as trivial as this."

"Selfish clan?" Pam spoke, unmistakably offended, "We've done _much_ more for you people to be as _selfish_ as we please. If you take one of us away, you loose that right. If not through this, then maybe through exposure you'll finally learn no to mess with us—not to mess with family."

After a quick moment of silence full of stern and vitriolic looks from Pam, the first Elder spoke again.

"It's too late," He said with the same haughtiness he had exhibited earlier.

"What do you mean?" Pam said with new alarm.

"Even if we were to heed to your demands," The Elder continued, "We've already put our plan into motion—there's nothing we can do now."

"What've you done with him?" Pam almost screamed, "Where is he?"

"We've already told you," The female Elder said with an odd look about her face, "He's somewhere where no family can bring him back from. Family is what the mortal Trudeau covets most. It's what he's loosing—_and_ what he's gaining."

"No," Pam breathed, realizing exactly what Leo had earlier, "You can't have—you—you wouldn't…"

"Leave us!" The first Elder roared, just about having it with both Pam and his female counterpart, "You already know too much—this won't do! Away!"

He waved a hand an in an instant Pam was thrown back down to earth. Before her departure, her true self was revealed for a fraction of a second.

"That wasn't Leo," The Elder spat, "It was a Charmed One."

As Pam hit the ground in the Halliwell Manor she was bombarded with questions from her family members.

"What happened?" Prue solicited apprehensively, "What did they say?"

"Where's Leo?" Piper sputtered much in the same manner.

"Why were you thrown down like that?" Andy asked not long after, "Did they hurt you?"

Pam stayed quiet for the duration of the interrogation, still in shock from the information she had ascertained while with the Elders.

"Pam, are you okay?" The group inquired as a whole as they all realized she hadn't been saying a word.

"I'm—I," Pam stuttered, "They've done it."

"Done what?" Cole questioned, "Pam, what did the Elders do?"

"They did the one thing they knew we couldn't bring him back from," Pam answered.

"Which is…?" Phoebe leaded, having close to no idea what fate Pam spoke of.

"It's—" Pam started.

"No," Prue spoke as she had known what Pam meant from her first words, "They couldn't of."

"They have," Pam said as she moved in to hug Prue, "I'm so sorry—there was nothing I could do. They'd already put him in place by the time I got there."

"I'm so sorry," Pam continued.

"What?" Phoebe solicited once more," What've they done?"

"They've," Pam began with much remorse.

"They've made Andy a Whitelighter."

A/N: OH HOLY FUCKING SHIT I'm SO SORRY! Seriously it's been like three months. For those lucky (or not so lucky) few who've stayed with this fic since like forever I really do apologize. I had half the chapter written for about two months but a million things kept getting in the way. I really am sorry.


	36. Come

Chapter 36: Come

Disclaimer: If you took all the Prue episodes of Charmed, all the Brenda episodes of _90210_, and all the Alexandra Hudson episodes of _North Shore_ and added a bit of directorial magic, you'd have one kick-ass mini series. That is—until Brad Kern planted some crack in Shannen Doherty's trailer, completely discrediting her and making it so that the FCC cancels it.

A/N: Wow that's last chapter had like a whole bunch of errors in it. Well no, Andy didn't ask Pam if she was hurt—sorry about that. It was Cole who asked the question—I don't know how my fingers translated Cole into Andy, but yeah—that was a mistake. And I know this hasn't exactly come earlier like I said it would—but I'll really try to get these last five chapters up in good time. So there were no reviews on the last chapter, but that was more than expected. Well, just so everyone knows, this isn't over yet. Hope you enjoy, and on with the fic.

Leo descended down on an alley near the San Francisco moors. He had asked around for news of new witches and their locations until he came to a conclusion of which one was Andy's new charge. In a back alley behind a bar Leo heard what he thought was Andy's voice above the sound of combat.

"Get down!" Andy hollered at the young woman who Leo took to be his charge.

"What is that?" The girl questioned, pointing to the lower-level demon that had just hurtled a fireball at them.

"Just get down!" Andy yelled once more, tackling the girl to the ground as to avoid the fireball.

"This is pathetic," the demons cackled as he advanced on the two.

He threw another ball and Andy, on instinct, orbed out of the way with the girl. When they landed on the other side of the demon both Andy and the girl exhibited perplexed looks.

"What'd you just do?" The girl asked.

"I'm not too sure," Andy answered truthfully, looking quite astonished himself.

The demon swirled around in fury and raised his hands in preparation to hurl fire once more.

"Down!" Andy screamed again, motioning to get the girl out of the way.

The demon was a bit quicker, as the ball barreled straight towards Andy and the girl.

"Andy!" Leo hollered, thinking one of the two were about to get hit.

At the recognition of Leo's voice Andy turned to him in shock, taking his attention off his charge. As soon as Andy turned his head and the girl recognized that she was on her own for a moment, she seemed to summon a somewhat latent power inside her. When the flaming ball was less than five feet from her face the girl disappeared and a small bird took her place.

As the fire ball hit a broken mirror behind Andy and what used to be his charge, both Andy and the demon furrowed their brows—Andy in confusion and the demon in surprise and anger.

"A shape-shifter," The demon spat as the bird quickly flew away.

"Do what?" Andy said, coking his head to the side and staring after the bird.

"No matter," the demon concluded, and, to Leo's surprise, summoning a Darklighter Crossbow, "A Whitelighter's not so bad."

"A what?" Andy asked, "I think you've got the wrong guy."

"Oh I think not," the demon laughed, cocking the Crossbow.

"Andy, over here!" Leo barked, indicating for Andy to orb over to him.

Andy, though still highly confused, obliged. The demon turned to them in aggravation with a horribly sour look on his face.

"See— this is why I can't stand your type," the demons said in a vitriolic manner, "You're so squirmy—never stay in one place."

"That's lethal to you," Leo spoke in a low whisper to Andy, "Just follow my lead."

"What do you mean 'lethal to me'?" Andy inquired hastily, "What am I? What'd the Elders do to me?"

"We'll talk about that later," Leo shushed, "Now when I say 'go,' go—alright?"

"Sure," Andy complied, slightly annoyed at having to follow orders when he so badly wanted answers.

Done with his less than witty banter, the demon shot an arrow from the bow and Leo put his hasty plan in motion.

"Go!" He screamed at Andy, and at the same moment he orbed out.

"Seems you're little friend's left you," The demon laughed, turning the bow towards Andy.

"Over here, you poor excuse for evil!" Leo taunted as the easily-irked demon advanced on him.

Andy snickered at Leo's "insult" and took this as his cue to act. He charged at the demons as his back was turned and succeeded in knocking him to the ground, sending the bow flying. Leo hurried to retrieve the bow as Andy raised the demon directly in Leo's line of fire. Leo pulled the trigger and all but smirked at the demon's astounded face before the shot caused him to blow up and disintegrate. Andy backed up off the explosion and once they were sure the demon was vanquished the two shared a short laugh over the demon. However, it ended a moment later as the two men saw a swirl of purple orbs descend from the sky.

"So you thought you'd get away that easily," concluded the female Elder that that had tipped Leo and Pam off about Andy's fate, "They know what you've done—it won't be long before they come and take you away; do more than they already have. If you don't come right now, they'll—"

"Do only what he deserves," Finished the haughty Elder that had spoken so avidly against Andy's freedom, "It's time, Trudeau. You and I both know you don't belong here—this _is_ the only way. You need to serve the Greater Good. Family can't save you from this—least of all, yours. Now—come."

A/N: I know it was short—you don't need to tell me that. But I do believe that it had a sort of campy feel to it—more Her Destiny like. I don't know. It's almost over—just keep reading.


	37. Worth

Chapter 37: Worth

Disclaimer: Hmm…the CW…right.

A/N: Well it's almost over. Right now's the time it'd be good for like suggestions about the future for this story in terms of trilogy and such.

"A Whitelighter?" Phoebe breathed, astounded, "Does Andy even know what Whitelighters are?"

"And besides," she continued, "I thought the Elders promised him his ultimate suffering. Being a Whitelighter—"

"_Is_ his ultimate suffering," Prue cut Phoebe off, "It's mine. Whitelighters are supposed to leave the life they had before Phoebe. He has to live, but we can't be with each other. It's the worse thing they could've done…"

"We'll get him back," Piper spoke with confidence, "It's as simple as that."

"I'm worried though," Pam leaded, "Leo's been gone for longer than he should be."

"Where'd he go?" Piper questioned.

"To find Andy…" Pam trailed off.

After seeing the expectant expression on Prue's face Pam continued quickly.

"But he left long before the Elders sent me down here," Pam went on, "They should be here by now."

"Leo—" Piper began to call out.

"No!" Pam stopped her, "The Elders are probably watching now. We don't want to lead them to Leo and probably Andy as well."

"Well do you think you should orb 'Up There' and try to find them?" Cole questioned.

"Maybe," Pam complied, "Except if I get caught I don't want the Elders to punish Andy for it."

After a bit of silence and no suggestions from anyone, Pam was torn. She knew it was up to her to find Andy and Leo, but she also knew that it was in her best interest not to get the Elders anymore riled up than they already were. Though no one said anything, Pam had a good idea of what was stirring in Prue's mind—and the ultimate outcome of Pam's actions was going to affect her the most. Knowing what Prue was going to say without even looking at her, Pam soon spoke again.

"Though I won't let that happen," Pam assured Prue, "If I don't get him back for you, you can be ashamed to call me your older sister."

Prue looked much obliged at the comment, and smiled for the first time since the beginning of the whole ordeal.

"I might need your freezing power for immediately," Pam said to Piper, and Piper nodded in agreement.

"And later—" Pam continued to everyone, "After Piper and I get the Elder's attention—

I'm gonna need Prue and Phoebe to come so that we can give our claim of exposure. It's the only way they'll even consider reversing Andy's fate—if we're all 'Up There', serious and ready to expose magic and even relinquish our magic. All of us as sisters, together—the Power of Four."

After nods from the room Cole spoke in reassurance.

"I'll stay here—there's a good chance the talk of exposure might've gotten down to the Underworld already. This affects good magic just as much as evil and we know they won't want that. They might come and attack and well, I'll be here to fight them off."

"Well then let's do this," Piper said heartily, "I'm starting to miss that husband of mine."

With a small laugh and a nod at Piper indicating that what she had said a second ago was for her as well, Pam got ready to orb off in search of the missing men of the Manor when a thought crossed her mind.

"Wait," she spoke aloud, more to Cole than anyone else, "If anyone…" Pam began, "If anyone, well calls for me—tell them I'm gone."

"Well you will be, won't you?" Cole questioned, "And who would call for y—"

At Pam's raised eyebrow at his inquisitive words, Cole tried to catch himself.

"That is to say—who would call at this…time in the day?" Cole finished this last part quickly and hardly believed he couldn't think of a better way to cover up what he was going to ask.

"Well yeah, I know I'll be gone," Pam stumbled, realizing that she couldn't half-ass her way out of this one as she avoided Prue's eyes, "Just—if David or—or Bane call—tell them not to call again."

Pam then took Piper and orbed off almost quicker than she had said her last words.

The Elder that had intercepted Leo and Andy's attempt to steal away home orbed the two of them into the glowing white atmosphere that was 'Up There' with a look somewhat filled with remorse plastered across his harsh features.

"Now," he spoke abruptly, "This way."

He indicated for Leo to go back down to Earth and for Andy to head into the main Council room. He then took one disgusted look at the female Elder that had tried to help Leo and Andy in their escape efforts.

"I'll deal with you later," he said shortly, and, with nothing but a sigh and the knowledge that she could no longer do anything to help; she was gone in a swirl of purple light.

Leo, positively beaming inside at the fact that the male Elder hadn't caught his trick earlier, hid behind the same pillar he had previously. He began to call out Pam's name, but before he even got a word out she and Piper appeared in front of him. Leo smiled for a moment at how they all thought alike, before silently showing them the male Elder entering into the room. They caught his drift that Andy was in that room, and just as the Elder opened the door to step into the room, Piper froze the scene.

"Good luck," Leo spoke quickly as the girls prepared to enter the Council room, "I'll be right out here if it gets messy in there—just call my name. If you're doing what I think you're doing, I'll get Phoebe and Prue after a little while."

Pam and Piper nodded, and then ran towards the door before the freeze wore off.

When they reached the door, the girls stopped momentarily to form a plan. Before either of them spoke, Pam took the form of the Elder standing outside the door.

"I'll stand outside and keep freezing him," Piper began, "But I'll need to come in when Leo brings Prue and Phoebe and before my power drains."

"Got it," Pam replied, "I'll work as quickly as I can."

With reassuring looks at one another, Piper put her hands up in ready stance as Pam made her way into the room in the appearance of the Elder. She entered the room to see Andy seated among a horde of Elders, seemingly all waiting for the arrival of that particular Heavenly being.

"Well Edgar," A waiting Elder spoke to Pam, "Would you care to explain why the mortal Trudeau is here again?"

"I'd love to," Pam spoke, "The "mortal Trudeau" remains here because I'm calling a rebuttal. I say he's not going anywhere. The future of the magical world depends on him remaining a human _on Earth_. If not, the Charmed Ones will not only expose the magical world but also renounce _all _of their powers."

Andy spun around in surprise as he jumped out of his seat.

"What?" He hollered in disbelief, "They can't do that! I won't let them!"

"Sit!" An Elder screamed at Andy.

"No!" Andy yelled back, "Look—I'm not worth all that. All Prue is is her magic. There's nothing worth that. I don't know how else to put it."

"He's right," The same Elder said, "Rules were broken and promises were made. This mortal should have died years ago. _We_ _allowed_ him to stay. He knew the terms and conditions and he agreed to them! There's no going back on it!"

"Are you willing to risk all of magic on it?" Pam challenged.

"What is this nonsense!" The Elder raged, "We decided this just earlier today! You were the main candidate in Trudeau's Whitelighter status—and now you're speaking against it?"

"Things change," Pam spoke in Edgar's appearance, "And now, I'm telling you—if we don't return Trudeau, magic will suffer over anything else. The Power of Four has done more for us than any previous force. Because of them, both the Source and his Oracle are dead. Not to mention that powerful demons that would've taken the place of the Source like Barbas and Phoebe Turner, who _we_ didn't even believe to be alive, are eliminated as well. Good magic will have no protection and dark magic will be exposed. It would be so easy for you to return him to the Halliwells. None of this would have to happen."

After a moment of dumbstruck silence at the reality and impact of what the Charmed Ones were going to do, the Elder tried his best to speak haughtily. Almost at the same time, Pam heard three pairs of feet coming towards the hall, and knew they had to belong to Prue, Phoebe, and Leo. Andy seemed to realize the same and also appeared to pick up on why the Elder was so eager for him to return home all of a sudden.

"And how are we to believe this?" The Elder replied, "I don't see a single bit of merit to this threat! What? Did a Charmed One just _hand_ you this information? How do we know any of these threats have any worth or base? How do we know they're real at all?"

At that moment, Piper ushered in the actual, highly confused and disheveled-looking Edgar, followed by Phoebe and Prue.

"Edgar?" The Elder questioned, "But—" He began, indicating towards Pam.

Her sisters came next to her just as Pam took back on her own appearance, sporting a large smirk at the wide-eyed faces of Edgar, the other Elders, and Andy.

"Prue!" Andy said as he barreled forward and hugged her hard.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Prue cried, "I missed you so much, Andy. I can't loose you—not again. It's too much, too soon. I'm not letting go. I need you—I need my light."

"Is that real enough for you?" Pam smiled, speaking to the same Elder from before and indicating towards her family and fellow witches beside her.

"She meant every word of what she said," Piper reinforced, "In case you were wondering."

"That's right," Phoebe tacked on, "Eight years of service…well, you know—eight _technical_ years—will all be lost. Our powers are tied to our emotions. They don't work so well with intense anger or sadness or hurt. If you take Andy, that's _all_ we'll be feeling. And if you take Andy, we'll be the Charmed Ones no more—you can count on that much."

"My duty to you took him away from me," Prue began, soliciting somewhat surprised looks from the people around her as no one had thought she would speak, "You kept him around because that hurt me so much I was ready to give up my powers. That feeling never really went away. Although Andy was there, I couldn't be with him. So just think for a second what will happen if you do that again, this time with my fair warning not to. I will be one _pissed off_ witch. And you don't want to deal with that—trust me."

"No," Andy spoke after the Elders failed to, "I can't let you give up your magic for me—you mean too much to the world. I'm not worth all that."

"Yes," Prue began, "You are. I can't function without you and neither can my powers."

Prue then turned to the Elders with a highly resolve expression on her face.

"Now," She began, "The real question is, are you all worth the pleasantry of a warning? Obviously, we've decided that you are. But that's all you get. I'm telling you this now and I'm telling you this once. I need Andy. We all do. So you're going to change him back into a living human. Now. No negotiations. You all aren't worth that."

A/N: Jesus H. Christ I know it's been a while. But don't worry; it'll all be over soon.


End file.
